‘Gentleman Jack’ future confirmed: Will there be a third season?
We’ve got some very sad news for Gentleman Jack fans!
Set in Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1832, the hit period drama launched in 2019, adapting the real life diaries of Anne Lister.
The long-awaited second season finally aired on Sunday nights this spring on HBO in the US and BBC One in the UK.
Well, despite some great reviews, it looks like that three-year wait between seasons was a little too long for the series to retain its momentum…
It’s been confirmed that HBO won’t be renewing Gentleman Jack for a third season.
Deadline reports that in the US the show “aired on the lower-trafficked Monday night, with its second season, delayed by the pandemic, among HBO’s lower rated original series.”
HBO’s official statement says: “HBO will not be moving forward with a third season of Gentleman Jack.
“When we began this journey more than five years ago, we knew the series’ creator Sally Wainwright had a uniquely compelling vision, and it’s been tremendously gratifying to see how Anne Lister’s journey has resonated with viewers.
“We are incredibly grateful to Sally, to the impeccable Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle, and to the entire cast and crew for bringing Anne and Ann’s story to life. We’d also like to thank our partners at BBC and Lookout Point for their collaboration on two remarkable seasons.”
Without HBO on board, the production costs are sadly too expensive for the BBC to go ahead with Season 3 on their own.
Gentleman Jack starred Suranne Jones (Vigil) and Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders) as Anne Lister and Ann Walker.
The cast also included Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) as Marian Lister, Gemma Jones (Last Tango in Halifax) as Aunt Anne Lister, and Timothy West (EastEnders) as Jeremy Lister, while The Larkins star Joanna Scanlan joined the cast in Season 2 as Anne Lister’s outrageous former lover, Isabella ‘Tib’ Norcliffe.
The second season saw all eyes on Anne Lister and Ann Walker as they set up home together at Shibden Hall as wife and wife, determined to combine their estates and become a power couple.
Season 1 and Season 2 are both streaming now on BBC iPlayer and also on HBO Max.
Watch the Season 2 trailer here:
Gentleman Jack creator Sally Wainwright certainly has plenty to keep her busy coming up though.
As well as the final season of Happy Valley and a possible sixth season of Last Tango in Halifax, she’s writing a brand new 18th Century adventure series for Disney+ called The Ballad of Renegade Nell.
The eight-part drama will follow “swashbuckling highwaywoman” Nell Jackson as she begins a life of robbery after being framed for murder.
Happy Valley returns on BBC One in the UK later this year, while The Ballad of Renegade Nell is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2023.
Gentleman Jack is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.