Former Coronation Street star Millie Gibson has delighted fans of period drama by confirming that the critically acclaimed Channel 5 series, The Forsytes, will return for a second season. Appearing on BBC’s The One Show, Gibson, who plays a central role in the lavish production, teased that the next instalment will be “bigger, better, brilliant” (OK! Magazine).

Gibson, who became a household name playing troubled teenager Kelly Neelan on Coronation Street, has undergone a dramatic transformation for her current role. She is virtually unrecognizable from her 'cobbles' days, sporting striking red locks as Irene Heron, a graceful ballet dancer and a key figure in the aristocratic saga (Daily Star).

The Saga Continues: A Look at The Forsytes 🏘️

The six-episode Channel 5 drama chronicles the lives and loves of wealthy, upper-middle-class dynasties during the late-Victorian and Edwardian eras. The series, which premiered to enormous popularity last month, delves into themes of family discord, crumbling marriages, and deeply buried secrets (What to Watch).

Gibson embodies Irene Heron, who becomes the “ambitious wife” of Soames Forsyte (played by This Life's Jack Davenport). Irene’s marriage is fraught with tension, particularly as Soames becomes embroiled in a bitter feud with his cousin, Jolyon Forsyte, over dominance of the sprawling family empire (Daily Star). The show boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Joshua Orpin (Home and Away), Eleanor Tomlinson (One Day), and Downton Abbey veteran Tuppence Middleton (OK! Magazine).

Confirmation and Enthusiasm on The One Show ✨

During Thursday's broadcast of The One Show, presenters Clara Amfo and Scott Mills pressed Gibson about the possibility of the series being renewed, relaying the multitude of viewer enquiries.

Clara Amfo directly questioned: “Is it true there is going to be a series two of The Forsytes?” After a brief, coy pause, Millie offered the definitive response: “Yesss.”

When pressed further by Amfo to confirm the news, Gibson enthusiastically stated: “Yes, I can confirm that. It is, it’s coming and it’s bigger, better, brilliant. You’ll love it” (The Sun). The confirmation is a major win for Channel 5, which invested heavily in the production, and for fans of classic British literature adapted for the screen.

The Legacy of a British Classic 📖

The Forsytes is the latest adaptation of John Galsworthy's celebrated novel sequence, The Forsyte Saga, which was originally published between 1906 and 1921. The novels, which won Galsworthy the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932, are considered a seminal work of English social commentary (Nobel Prize).

This new Channel 5 version follows the legendary 1967 BBC adaptation and a popular 2002 version on ITV, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the Forsyte family's story and its explorations of materialism, class, and love across generations.

The Demands of the Role 🩰

Later in the show, Gibson offered insight into the challenges of portraying her character, Irene, a skilled ballet dancer. When Scott Mills inquired about her special training for the role, Millie admitted that the intense dance sequences required professional assistance.

“I had an incredible choreographer called Sammy and basically all you see of me is from the upper waist,” she confessed. She gave full credit to her double: “I had an incredible ballet double called Eloise Taylor who did all the point stuff. Ballerinas are just athletes, so to even do a portion of that was hard and I'm just so grateful to have an incredible team around to help me do that” (Daily Mail).

Millie's honesty about using a dance double contrasts with the seamless appearance of the final product, which led many viewers to believe she performed all the rigorous dance sequences herself.