Mary Bennet Gets Her Christmas: “The Other Bennet Sister” Returns for a Three-Part Holiday Special
Fresh off a record-breaking launch, the BritBox and BBC Pride and Prejudice spinoff is heading back to Regency England, with Ella Bruccoleri and the original creative team returning.
The most overlooked Bennet sister has become an unlikely streaming sensation, and now she is getting a holiday encore. BritBox has announced that The Other Bennet Sister is returning for a three-part Christmas special, produced by Bad Wolf for BritBox North America and the BBC. For the legion of viewers who fell hard for Mary Bennet’s story this spring, it is exactly the gift the season calls for, and a fitting reward for one of the year’s genuine word-of-mouth hits.
A Record-Breaking Hit
The numbers behind this commission are remarkable. When The Other Bennet Sister debuted, it delivered record-breaking results in the US and Canada, driving five times more new subscribers to BritBox in its first five weeks than any previous launch on the service and helping the platform achieve the strongest quarter of subscriber growth in its history. Since debuting, more than 40 percent of active subscribers have watched the show. Abroad, it was the biggest launch of a new drama across all platforms and streamers in the UK since May 2025, pulling 7.3 million viewers in its first 28 days. It also landed Certified Fresh at 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, so the love was critical as well as commercial.
The Sister Austen Overlooked
For the uninitiated, here is the appeal. Based on Janice Hadlow’s acclaimed novel, The Other Bennet Sister follows Mary Bennet, the oft-overlooked middle sister in Pride and Prejudice, as she navigates the societal pressures of Regency England, where marriage is both aspiration and necessity. The ten-episode first season retold the events of Austen’s classic from Mary’s point of view before following her on a journey of self-discovery from London to the Lake District, giving the perennial wallflower her long-overdue moment in the spotlight.
That moment was anchored by a breakout performance from Ella Bruccoleri, the Bridgerton alum who plays Mary and returns for the special. The original series surrounded her with a deep ensemble including Ruth Jones as Mrs. Bennet, Richard E. Grant as Mr. Bennet, Indira Varma as Mrs. Gardiner, Dónal Finn as the gentle Tom Hayward, and Laurie Davidson as the charming Mr. Ryder, with a host of familiar faces set to return for the holiday outing.
The Same Team, A New Chapter
The special keeps its creative DNA intact. Sarah Quintrell, who wrote nine of the series’ ten episodes, returns to write all three new chapters based on storylines by author Janice Hadlow, while Asim Abbasi, who directed five episodes of the series, returns to direct. The three half-hour episodes will shoot primarily in Wales this summer, and the story will pick up after the wedding bells fade, exploring what real life holds for the no-longer-so-overlooked Bennet sister.
From the Producers
Bad Wolf CEO Jane Tranter spoke to the response that prompted the commission.
“We always hoped audiences would fall in love with Mary Bennet’s story, but the response to The Other Bennet Sister has exceeded even our most optimistic expectations. These Christmas specials give us the chance to spend a little more time with characters audiences have taken to their hearts, and to explore what happens after the wedding bells fade and real life begins. Returning to the world of Mary Bennet with our brilliant partners at the BBC and BritBox feels like the perfect way to celebrate the success of the series and give viewers a treat this Christmas.” — Jane Tranter, Executive Producer and CEO, Bad Wolf
BritBox’s Jess O’Riordan echoed the sentiment.
“We know how much audiences have fallen in love with Mary Bennet, and we’re thrilled that her story isn’t over yet. We are so pleased Mary’s story will continue for three more chapters and to welcome audiences back into the world of The Other Bennet Sister this holiday season.” — Jess O’Riordan, Executive Producer and Commissioning Executive, BritBox
Where and When to Watch
Here is the state of play.
- Format: three half-hour episodes
- Production: shooting primarily in Wales this summer
- Where (US and Canada): exclusively on BritBox
- Where (UK): exclusively on BBC iPlayer and BBC One
- Release: targeted for the holiday season; a premiere date has not been set
- Season One: streaming now on BritBox in the US and Canada
The Vitals
The quick-scan version.
| Title | The Other Bennet Sister (Christmas special) |
| Written by | Sarah Quintrell |
| Directed by | Asim Abbasi |
| Based on storylines by | Janice Hadlow |
| Starring | Ella Bruccoleri, with returning cast |
| Produced by | Bad Wolf, for BritBox North America and the BBC |
| Format | Three half-hour episodes |
| Where to watch | BritBox (US and Canada); BBC iPlayer and BBC One (UK) |
| International distribution | Sony Pictures Television |
| Learn more | Wikipedia and Rotten Tomatoes |
Where It Stands
The Other Bennet Sister earns its holiday return on the strength of a launch that reshaped BritBox’s record books and a heroine audiences clearly were not ready to say goodbye to. With the original writer, director, and star all back and cameras rolling in Wales this summer, the three-part special looks set to be a cozy, Certified-Fresh Christmas treat. No premiere date yet, but I will share more as one emerges.
