Cancelled period drama with Lesley Manville’s “deliciously horrible” character gets new streaming home

Lesley Manville’s cancelled period drama Harlots has found a new streaming home in the UK.

18th-century London serves as the backdrop for the ITV Encore show, which chronicles the journey of Margaret Wells, played by Samantha Morton, who runs a brothel and is determined to build a brighter tomorrow for herself and her daughters.

Harlots, a series conceived by Alison Newman and Moira Buffini, showcases Manville in the role of Lydia Quigley, a competitive brothel proprietor engaged in a dispute with Wells.

This series boasts an illustrious ensemble, such as Jessica Brown Findlay from Downton Abbey, Kate Fleetwood known for The Wheel of Time, Pippa Bennett-Warner hailing from Gangs of London, Angela Griffin famous for Waterloo Road, and Liv Tyler, a renowned figure in the Lord of the Rings.

If you missed out on “Harlots” previously, mark your calendars! Starting from 1st July, this captivating series will be streaming on Netflix. You’ll have the opportunity to watch all three seasons consecutively, totaling 24 episodes for a satisfying binge-watching experience.

From 2017 to 2019, the series ran for only three seasons before it was ultimately discontinued; this news was announced by Deadline as early as 2020.

During the point when the show was cancelled, Griffin, who portrayed Elizabeth Harvey on Harlots, expressed her dreams regarding the series’ possible continuation.

According to what I am aware of, it appears to be completed and behind us. However, I have this feeling that perhaps there ought to be a petition calling for the BBC to revisit the topic,” Griffin shared with Hello!.

“I’m sure if the BBC decide that it had a slot, they could possibly reignite it.”

In an earlier conversation with Digital Spy, Manville shared her enthusiasm about portraying a captivating character in the period drama, stating: “I was thrilled when she was referred to as the ‘Lady Macbeth of brothel keepers.’ Such an intriguing role description is hard to resist!

Playing this character was both delightfully wicked and enjoyable, yet somehow unpleasant to admit! Fresh off portraying a sweeter soul in the BBC Two sitcom “Mum,” I found myself embodying someone far less kind.

Meanwhile, Findlay told Digital Spy that Harlots avoided the clichés of other period shows.

As a gamer putting forth my thoughts, I’d say what sets Harlots apart is its ability to delve deep into this world without the intrusion of cheesy background music during scenes. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for such elements, but in the case of Harlots, it simply doesn’t need them.

Harlots will be available to stream on Netflix from 1 July.

The inaugural print issue of Digital Spy’s magazine, titled “British Comedy Legends,” is available now! You can purchase it from your local newsstand or online for only £3.99.

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2025-06-17 16:19