麻豆社

Kirsty Wark brings together the cast, writer and production team who brought the seminal 麻豆社 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice to our screens thirty years ago.

For six weeks in the autumn of 1995, 10 million people watched the 麻豆社鈥檚 Sunday evening adaptation of Jane Austen鈥檚 Pride and Prejudice.

It had a stellar cast, a joyful and rumbustious script by screenwriter Andrew Davies, and a precision-eyed production team who painstakingly ensured that everything from the way the bread was baked, to the undergarments the actors wore was authentic.

So much so that the formidable Jane Austen Society gave it their seal of approval.

Although audiences were enraptured by the on and off-screen romance between the two leads, Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, it was the portrayal of the challenges of finding a partner, complex families and embarrassing relations that helped give this series the relatability and longevity it has experienced.

The series offered escapism from the drabness of the country鈥檚 economic woes, and a counter narrative to the high-profile collapse of Prince Charles and Princess Diana鈥檚 marriage.

And 44 minutes into episode 4, on 15 October 1995 came a scene which would become part of television history. Mr Darcy emerged slightly sodden from a lake. His long, wet shirt clung to his chest. Cue 鈥淒arcy-mania鈥� and tabloid headlines that inevitably began with the word 鈥淧hwoar鈥�.

Colin Firth鈥檚 鈥渓ake scene鈥� as he strode towards Lizzie Bennet played by Jennifer Ehle was a ratings winner and inspired the columnist Helen Fielding, writing in the guise of Bridget Jones, to express her 鈥渟imple need to see Mr. Darcy get off with Elizabeth鈥�.

Kirsty Wark reunites screenwriter Andrew Davies who adapted Jane Austen鈥檚 novel for the small screen; Alison Steadman who played Mrs Bennet; David Bamber, Crispin Bonham Carter and Adrian Lukis who played respectively Mr Collins, Mr Bingley, and Mr Wickham; the script editor, and co-author of The Making of Pride and Prejudice, Susie Conklin; and Costume Designer Dinah Collin.

Presenter: Kirsty Wark
Producer: Charlotte North

Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for 麻豆社 Radio 4

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