#FIRSTLOOK: “A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE” STREAMS JUNE 24, 2026 ON BRITBOX CANADA

his summer’s must-watch British drama follows one woman’s extraordinary rise from penniless housemaid to global business powerhouse in a sweeping saga of ambition, resilience, and reinvention.

The eight-episode BritBox Original series debuts Wednesday, June 24 with two episodes, followed by a weekly episodic rollout. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE, A Woman of Substance finds Emma in 1911, an impoverished ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England, who goes on a dizzying journey to become the world’s richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she’s given, smashing glass ceilings, and never, ever deviating from her masterplan: Get to the top. Whatever it takes.

A Woman of Substance stars Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Little Voice) and Jessica Reynolds (House of Guinness, Outlander) as the two versions of the iconic character Emma Harte. Additional cast include Emmett J. Scanlan (MobLand), Lydia Leonard (Ten Percent), Leanne Best (The Walk-In), Ewan Horrocks (The Last Kingdom), Harry Cadby (Everything Now), Will Mellor (Broadchurch), Lenny Rush (Am I Being Unreasonable?), Niall Wright (Slow Horses), Robert Wilfort (Gavin & Stacey) Mara Huf (Tetris) and Toby Regbo (Outrageous).

About BritBox

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television, offering an unmatched collection of expertly curated entertainment. From critically acclaimed dramas and mysteries to comedies, documentaries, and lifestyle programming, BritBox invites audiences to step out of their everyday and into a world of exceptional British storytelling. Launched in 2017 and now owned by BBC Studios, BritBox is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Nordics. For more, visit britbox.com, or find the BritBox app on most mobile and connected TV devices.