Behind The Scenes of A Woman of Substance
Brenda Blethyn stars in a new adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance
Leon Seth was the supervising location manager on the new adaption. ‘Now felt like the perfect time to revisit A Woman of Substance because the themes at the heart of the story – ambition, resilience, and a woman shaping her own destiny – feel incredibly relevant to audiences today,’ he tells us. ‘From a locations perspective, it’s a chance to reintroduce a classic story in a way that feels visually rich and authentic for today’s viewers, from the rugged landscapes where Emma begins her journey to the grand settings that reflect how her world expands.’
A Woman of Substance was Barbara Taylor Bradford’s debut novel in 1979 and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. This new eight-parter isn't the first time A Woman of Substance has been adapted for the small screen – it follows an Emmy-nominated 1985 miniseries, starring Liam Neeson. For an iconic Yorkshire story from an iconic Yorkshire author, it was obvious where this new screen adaptation should be filmed.
‘Yorkshire is absolutely central to the story,’ Leon explains. ‘Emma Harte’s journey begins there, so filming in the real landscapes gives the series a sense of authenticity you simply can’t recreate elsewhere. The character is shaped by that environment – the grit, the industrial heritage, and the beauty of the countryside – so it felt important that audiences could really feel those places on screen. Shooting in Yorkshire also allowed us to honour the roots of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance and ground this new adaptation in the landscape that inspired it.
‘There are lots of locations I love in the series. The key location was Broughton Hall, chosen to represent Fairley Hall because it had exactly the sense of scale, history, and elegance that the story calls for. Architecturally it has that classic Yorkshire grandeur, but it also feels like a real, lived-in family estate rather than just a stately backdrop. From a locations perspective, it offered a wonderful range of spaces – the exterior presence, the surrounding landscape, and interiors that could convincingly reflect the world Emma Harte moves into as her life evolves.’
During the development period whilst scouting for locations, Leon came across the beautiful gardens at Brodsworth Hall. ‘We planned for months to film a key scene with Emma and Edwin beneath the stunning laburnum arch there which flowers for only two to three weeks a year,’ he explains. ‘When the laburnum is in bloom it creates this incredible tunnel of cascading yellow flowers, which feels both romantic and almost dreamlike on screen.’
Filming took place in spring last year and other recognisable locations include Ilkley Moor. The Cow & Calf appears in the first episode, Emma Harte’s early life is depicted in Skipton, and Barnsley Town Hall features as the headquarters of Emma’s business.
No stranger to the North, this is Brenda’s second job since leaving the iconic detective Vera behind – and this new series is a far cry from her old raincoat and bucket hat. All episodes are available to stream on Channel 4 now, and viewers are already binge-watching the full series.
‘It takes a lot of hard work by a huge number of people behind the scenes across many departments to make a television series. We had a brilliant crew and it's great to see the series being so well received,’ says Leon. ‘As a location manager a lot of the work we do behind the camera is unseen but is integral to bringing the story to life. Hopefully audiences will not only connect with Emma Harte’s story but also feel transported by the locations they see on screen.’
