A Woman of Substance (2026)

Series 1

92%

The life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th-century, to respected businesswoman and grandmother in the 1980s. From humble beginnings, Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years, she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds.

Where to Watch A Woman of Substance (2026) • Series 1

8 Episodes

Episode 1
E1
Episode 1Set in early 1900s Yorkshire, ambitious maid Emma Harte is torn between her dreams of a better life and a forbidden romance with Edwin Fairley. Meanwhile, in 1970s New York, a plot threatens the empire she's built.
Episode 2
E2
Episode 2Emma and Edwin fall deeper in love but Emma grapples with what future they can possibly have. Elsewhere in Fairley Hall, Adam and Olivia embark on their own love affair behind Adele's back, whose erratic behaviour and paranoia worsens.
Episode 3
E3
Episode 3When Mac announces that he's leaving Fairley, Emma has an opportunity to escape too... but can she leave Edwin? Meanwhile, Adele’s sobriety re-ignites her marriage with Adam.
Episode 4
E4
Episode 4A heavily pregnant Emma starts a new life in Armley, while Edwin’s fiancée Priya begins to ask questions. In the 1970s, Emma confronts Edwina and discovers Paula’s secret romance.
Episode 5
E5
Episode 5Emma's tempted by romance for the first time since Edwin. But love has let her down before... A sober Adele threatens everything for Adam and Olivia. And Paula faces an impossible choice.
Episode 6
E6
Episode 6Emma prepares the perfect Christmas for her family, but her obsession with work and revenge brings danger to her door. In the 1970s, as Emma recovers, an oblivious Paula doubles down on her romance.
Episode 7
E7
Episode 7Britain is at war. To stay afloat Emma takes a huge gamble that could cost her far more than her business.
Episode 8
E8
Episode 8As the war rages on, young Emma fights to keep her empire afloat. Is an unlikely alliance her only lifeline? And Emma returns home to Yorkshire for her 80th birthday, armed with a cunning plan.