Return to Cranford

Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis and Julia McKenzie star in this two-part sequel to the Emmy-winning BBC/PBS drama, Cranford. Miss Matty's house is full of life and bustle. Her dream of having a child in the house has been realized in the birth of Tilly, daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem. Elsewhere, the shadow of the railway still looms, but the line has been halted five miles outside of Cranford - a disaster as far as Captain Brown is concerned. Meanwhile, as Mr. Buxton returns to town with his son, William, and his niece, Erminia. Miss Matty becomes concerned about another young person - Peggy Bell - who lives in an isolated cottage with her mother and domineering brother. She decides to intervene and engineers an invitation that will bring the four young people together. But when tragedy strikes, she fears she has opened a Pandora's box from which Cranford will never recover.

Cranford, where all changes and all remains the same, and Miss Matty's house is full of life and bustle. In the year since her sister's death, she has had the joy of seeing her brother, Peter, return from India and her dream of having a child in the house realised in the birth of Tilly, daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem. She relishes every moment being the centre of such a busy household. The shadow of the railway still looms but, to the relief of Matty and the Amazons, the line has been halted five miles outside Cranford because of Lady Ludlow's continued refusal to sell the land that would connect it to the town. For others, however, this spells disaster:
Captain Brown believes that modernisation is inevitable if the town is to survive and knows that the young people, like Jem, will have to move to find work. However, Matty is delighted to see the return to Cranford, after an absence of two years, of her dear friend, Mr Buxton, with his son, William, and his niece, Erminia. The recent death of Mrs Buxton has left both husband and son grief-stricken and at odds with each other. Mr Buxton has hopes of a parliamentary career and an advantageous marriage for his son. But William has ideas of his own. Matty is concerned about another young person. Peggy Bell lives in an isolated cottage outside the town with her mother and domineering, ambitious brother, Edward. Matty fears Peggy has no friends and is in danger of becoming too inward-looking and as isolated as their cottage. She decides to intervene and engineers an invitation that will bring the four young people together. But, as tragedy strikes, she comes to believe that, unwittingly, she has opened Pandora's box and fears that Cranford will never recover.

Directed by Simon Curtis
Written by Heidi Thomas
Created by Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin
Executive Produced by Kate Harwood

The first series of Cranford was nominated for three Golden Globes and won a total of 12 awards, including Bafta and Emmy awards.