British period drama fans reveal the cancelled TV series they most want to return

Oh, we do hate it when a TV series we love ends on a cliffhanger that’s never resolved!

Fortunately it doesn’t happen too often in the world of British period dramas, but there are still several shows that have been axed before their time over the past decade.

From one-season-wonders like Dickensian and Beecham House, to established shows like Home Fires, The Paradise, Harlots, Lark Rise to Candleford, The Hour, and Indian Summers which ended prematurely, plus mega hit Poldark which still has five more books left to adapt, we wish every single one of these series would return.

Earlier this year, we asked fans to vote for the show they’d most like to see back on our screens.

We’ve now counted up the votes and can reveal the results…

However, in a funny old twist of fate, in the time between the launch of this poll in January and when the voting period ended in June, there came the shock announcement that the winning TV series was actually being renewed for another season!

We’ve published the full results below regardless, and we’re very happy indeed for the 46,187 fans whose wish has come true.

 

10. The Hour

This 1950s-set BBC drama was based around a fictional news show in the 1050s, running for two seasons. Could plans for a third season set in the ’60s still go ahead?

 

9. Dickensian

Bringing together characters from multiple Charles Dickens novels in one Victorian London neighbourhood, Dickensian only ran for 20 episodes on BBC One.

 

8. Harlots

ITV’s period drama about a brothel in 18th-century London was cancelled after three seasons, but the cast have all said they’re keen to return for more.

 

7. Indian Summers

Starring Julie Walters (Billy Elliot), Channel 4’s British Raj drama set in 1930s India was originally set to run for five seasons, but only two were made.

 

6. The Paradise

The BBC’s series based on Émile Zola’s 1883 novel Au Bonheur des Dames was last seen in 2013, when it was axed following competition from ITV’s Mr Selfridge.

 

5. Lark Rise to Candleford

1.18% of the votes went to Lark Rise to Candleford, the BBC’s adaptation of Flora Thompson’s novels about the English countryside in the late 19th century.

 

4. Beecham House

Set on the cusp of the 19th century in India, ITV’s short-lived period drama had 1.38% of the votes.

 

3. Home Fires

2.13% of voters in our poll were still keen to see Season 2’s shock cliffhanger resolved with more episodes of ITV’s World War 2 drama Home Fires.

 

2. Poldark

Poldark took 11.46% of the votes, so let’s hope the BBC commission that rumoured sixth season sooner rather than later.

 

1. Sanditon

Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished final novel, Sanditon took a whopping 81.66% of the votes, making the show a resounding winner!

A brand new season of Sanditon is filming right now, with several new cast members already confirmed.

Season 2 will premiere in early 2022 on BritBox in the UK, before airing on ITV, and it’ll air on PBS Masterpiece in the US.

A third season is set to follow in 2023.

Sanditon is available on DVD on Amazon.