MASTERPIECE on PBS has announced that Miss Austen will return for a second season, with development underway in collaboration with Bonnie Productions. The new season will draw largely from Gill Hornby’s latest novel, The Elopement, continuing the series’ exploration of the Austen family and the life of Jane Austen’s sister, Cassandra.
The renewal follows the strong reception of Miss Austen’s first season, which premiered on MASTERPIECE in May 2025. The four-part drama quickly won over viewers and critics alike, with particular praise directed at Keeley Hawes’ portrayal of Cassandra Austen.
The Los Angeles Times described the series as one that “wonderfully delivers the love and loss Jane Austen fans know by heart.” At the same time, Air Mail called it “an emotional story of sisterly love, placed within a richly-imagined historical setting.” The Wall Street Journal later included the series on its Best of 2025 list, highlighting Hawes as “a fascinating performer.”
Season 2 will once again be written by award-winning screenwriter Andrea Gibb (Swallows and Amazons, Elizabeth Is Missing). Returning executive producers include Christine Langan for Bonnie Productions, Susanne Simpson, MASTERPIECE’s Head of Scripted Content, and Polly Williams for Federation Stories.
Langan said the new season will delve even further into the private world of the Austen family. “Fueled by another wonderful Gill Hornby novel, the journey of Miss Austen continues, going deeper into the intimate life of the Austen family,” she said. “Love, loss, and laughter mingle irresistibly in this fresh take on Jane Austen’s world.”
Simpson echoed that enthusiasm, noting the timing of the announcement. “After the success of Miss Austen, I am thrilled to be working again with Gill Hornby and the team that made the first series such a moving experience,” she said. “I am pleased to announce the return of the series as we approach the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.”
Casting and additional details for Season 2 have not yet been revealed.
