Actor Will Mellor, 49, explains his decision to star in Channel 4’s revival of the classic period drama A Woman of Substance. Although he had never read Barbara Taylor Bradford’s iconic 1979 novel, Mellor sought a fresh challenge with a role outside his usual projects.
The Story of Emma Harte
A Woman of Substance traces the rags-to-riches journey of Emma Harte, a young Yorkshire maid portrayed by Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds. Emma rises from humble beginnings to build a vast business empire. The original 1985 adaptation remains Channel 4’s most successful drama to date.
In the 2026 revival, Mellor portrays Jack, Emma’s father, whom he describes as a character with a “big heart.”
Appearance on This Morning
Mellor appeared on the March 11 episode of This Morning alongside co-star Lenny Rush, who plays Frank Harte, Emma’s beloved younger brother. Hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard discussed their new roles.
Mellor called the period drama experience “unbelievable,” noting it transports actors to a different era. “One of the reasons I wanted to do it is because I don’t get to do many period dramas and it’s so nice to play someone who doesn’t look like me,” he stated.
Fans reacting to the trailer often question his involvement, prompting Mellor to reply, “I’m the one with the tash.” He emphasized the escapism: “That is the whole point… the costumes are unbelievable.”
For the role, production used yak hair for his mustache, applied strand by strand for realism. “It’s really realistic and the costumes from start to finish were pure escapism. I loved every minute of it,” Mellor added.
Production Details and Premiere
Written by Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley, the series follows Emma’s path from 1910s Yorkshire poverty to New York opulence across eight episodes.
Brenda Blethyn expressed being “overjoyed” to take on the iconic role, originally played by Deborah Kerr.
The first episode premieres tonight at 9pm on Channel 4, with the second airing tomorrow at the same time. This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
