Miss Austen Series: Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen

This year BBC has planned something special for the 250th anniversary of renowned author Jane Austen and that is a limited series based on Gill Hornby’s best-selling novel of the same name. But what is Miss Austen about? Will it deal with her most famous stories?

Not quite. Instead, the series will attempt to show the life of the author through the letters she left behind. These letters were ultimately destroyed by her sister Cassandra because she wanted to preserve her sister’s reputation. The book and the show attempts to use the historical facts available to sketch a fictional portrait of what might have been in those letters. 

Also, in doing so, they have created a story of romance but mostly of sisterhood. Want to know more about Miss Austen? In this article, we will talk about everything we know - from the plot to the filming locations and more. Also, stay tuned as we will keep updating this space with new information when it's available. 

Release date and Where to Watch 

Miss Austen, the four-part drama, will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 2 2025, on BBC iPlayer from 6 am. The series will air weekly on BBC One from evening as well. In America, the series will air on MASTERPIECE on PBS from Sunday, May 4 2025, at 9/8c. 

What is the plot of Miss Austen?

Miss Austen is set in 1830, 13 years after Jane Austen passed away in 1817 but before Cassandra Hawes burned the letters her sister had written. The series opens with Cassandra rushing to see her friend Isabella, the niece of her dead fiancé. She is about to lose her home after her father’s death. 

Cassandra wants to help her friend out, however, there’s another motive as well: to get the private letters, which could end up destroying Jane’s reputation if they fall into the wrong hands. When Cassandra gets her hands on them, she is overwhelmed and the writings take her to their youth as they navigate family feuds, infatuations, as well as the incidents that influenced Jane’s classic stories. 

This trip down the memory lane makes Cassandra realize that she has been unknowingly blind to Isabella’s distress. To correct the wrongs of her past, she decides to guide Isabella toward true happiness and re-evaluate the sacrifices she made for her sister, Jane. So, the plot of the drama takes place in two timelines- 1830 and the flashback to their youth. 

Regarding Cassandra’s act of destroying her sister’s letters, actor Keeley Hawes said this to BBC, “I think there is something still worthwhile about what Cassandra did, as we don’t know Jane’s innermost thoughts. That makes her a bit of an enigma, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

Who is Starring in Miss Austen?

• Keeley Hawes as Cassandra Austen
• Patsy Ferran as Jane Austen
• Rose Leslie as Isabella
• Carys Bowkett as Anna Austen
• Ruby Richardson as Alethea Bigg Withers
• Synnove Karlsen as Young Cassie
• Jessica Hynes (Life After Life, Years and Years) as Mary
• Mirren Mack (The Witcher: Blood Origin, The Nest) as Dinah 
• Calam Lynch (Bridgerton, Sweetpea) as Tom Fowle
• Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey, Shetland)
• Max Irons (Condor, The Wife)
• Alfred Enoch (How to Get Away with Murder, Foundation)
• Kevin McNally (The Crown, Ten Percent)
• Liv Hill (The Serpent Queen, Elizabeth Is Missing).

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Miss Austen Trailer 

The Miss Austen trailer shows Cassandra Austen lost in the letters that her sister, Jane, wrote. They transport her to their youth where we hear a voiceover saying, “Your sister understood affairs of the heart better than anyone.” We see their possible romantic prospects as well. 

The trailer gives a glimpse of the strong bond and sisterhood between the two. Cassandra even says that Jane will always be saddled with her. There’s a shot of the two of them strolling along the beach as well. Check it out below:

Filming and Production Details

Miss Austen began filming in November 2023 in the UK, but more specifically in London as well as the southeast England Home Counties where the author spent most of her life. Actor Synnøve Karlsen revealed that the series was filmed in West London near the Kew Gardens as well as in the old stately mansions. 

The show was also filmed in Chawton, Hampshire near South Downs. This was Austen’s home from 1809 onwards, basically the last few years of her life. Another location used was Rye, Sussex as well as Shottesbrooke Park, Berkshire. 

Behind the Scenes

Miss Austen is directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Aisling Walsh and it is produced by Stella Merz. It has been adapted for television by BAFTA-winning writer Andrea Gibb. The series is produced by Bonnie Productions for MASTERPIECE with the BBC and Federation Stories. 

Susanne Simpson for MASTERPIECE, Polly Williams for Federation Stories, and Christine Langan for Bonnie Productions are the executive producers. Andrea Gibb, Keeley Hawes and Aisling Walsh also executive producers.