The raunchy period drama here to fill the Bridgerton-shaped void has officially arrived: Channel 4’s brand-new adaptation of A Woman of Substance starts tonight.
Starring TV legend Brenda Blethyn, the eight-part series charts the rise of Emma Harte, a maid who builds a retail empire against all odds. From the beautiful Yorkshire countryside to glamorous 1970s New York, the series features some seriously stunning scenery. But where exactly was it filmed?
Here’s everything you need to know about the real-life locations behind A Woman of Substance.
Where Was A Woman Of Substance Filmed?
A Woman of Substance was filmed in April 2025, with scenes shot in Yorkshire for Emma Harte’s early life as a maid, and in Liverpool for the present-day in New York.
Because the story jumps between time periods — following Emma from her humble beginnings to her later life as a powerful businesswoman — the production needed two main UK locations to recreate the drama’s different worlds.
For Emma’s early life, the show made use of the sweeping landscapes around Skipton, specifically a 3000-acre estate known as Broughton Sanctuary, during spring and summer filming.
Lydia Leonard, who plays Adele Fairley, said: "It was a glorious summer up in Skipton in the sunny Yorkshire countryside.”
The scenes contrast with Emma’s later life in New York luxury, which was actually filmed in Liverpool – a popular stand-in for the American city, as previously done by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Batman.
Speaking on the two locations, the series’ writer, Katherine Jakeways, said: “You get all the grit and beauty of the Yorkshire Moors, with young Emma’s striving and passion, but then every episode you get to spend a bit of time in New York in 1975.”
The real mansion used in A Woman of Substance
Known as ‘Fairley Hall’ in the series, the stunning real-life mansion is called Broughton Hall, situated near Skipton, Yorkshire.
It’s a Grade I-listed Georgian manor house and part of the 3,000-acre Broughton Sanctuary, sitting on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
The historic house is more than 400 years old, and was actually used in Channel 4’s original adaptation of the series, which was filmed in 1984.
And if you fancy living out your own Yorkshire period-drama fantasy, the Hall can actually be booked by groups for exclusive use. There’s 17 bedrooms, as well as converted barns and a goat farmhouse available for booking!
A Woman of Substance is now streaming on Channel 4 at 9pm every Wednesday and Thursday.
