If you’ve started watching A Woman of Substance – Channel 4’s brand spanking new period drama – you’ll have noticed the sweeping scenery, elegant costumes, as well as plenty of flash-backs and flash-forwards.
The sweeping drama follows Emma Harte’s extraordinary rise from a young maid in 1911 to a formidable businesswoman in the 70s – a story that spans six decades.
But if you’ve found yourself slightly confused about when exactly everything is happening, don’t worry. We’ve broken it down.
Here’s a guide to the two timelines in A Woman of Substance.
How does A Woman Of Substance begin?
Set in 1910s Yorkshire, we meet Emma Harte as a young maid working for the wealthy Fairley family at their grand estate, Fairley Hall.
She comes from a poor background, with a father who struggles to support the family, meaning service is one of the few options available to her.
Irresistibly drawn to Edwin Fairley, she forms a forbidden romance with the son of the wealthy family she works for. Their connection is the source of great passion, but also misfortune, for the two of them.
This timeline lays the foundation for everything that follows, showing the hardships and heartbreak that Emma has to endure before she achieves success in later life.
What happens when A Woman of Substance flashes forwards?
When we fast-forward several decades, we see a very different Emma Harte.
Now in her eighties, Emma sits on the top of a hugely successful business empire — worlds away from the young maid we first met at Fairley Hall.
Set in 1970s New York, this timeline shows Emma as a powerful figure who has built an extraordinary life.
Who plays Emma Harte in A Woman of Substance?
In the later timeline, Emma Harte is played by acclaimed British actor Brenda Blethyn.
Best known for her award-winning performances across film and television (notably Vera), Blethyn is now on our screens as 80-year-old Emma Harte, the business tycoon who has worked her way out of unfortunate circumstances.
Who plays young Emma Harte in A Woman of Substance?
In the earlier timeline, young Emma Harte is played by Jessica Reynolds.
Reynolds captures the young, bold version of Emma, who is determined to build something bigger for herself.
A Woman of Substance is now streaming on Channel 4 at 9pm every Wednesday and Thursday.
