Jack of all trades

Suranne Jones is back as loved-up businesswoman Anne Lister

- Caren Clark

NEW DRAMA

Gentleman Jack

Sunday, 9pm, BBC1

Suranne Jones is donning her stylish top hat and greatcoat once more as she returns as real-life 19th-century lesbian landowner Anne Lister in the second run of BBC1’s acclaimed period drama Gentleman Jack.

Based on Anne’s diaries, the first series saw Anne shake her native Halifax to its foundations with her outlandish private life and her ruthless business decisions.

Now, the new eight-part run, written by Sally Wainwright, begins just weeks after Anne’s secret ‘marriage’ with her wealthy lover and neighbour Ann Walker (Peaky Blinders’ Sophie Rundle).

While Ann tries to recover from her ongoing mental-health issues in York, Anne is making plans for them to move in together on her Shibden Hall estate with Anne’s father Jeremy (Timothy West), aunt Anne (Gemma Jones), and sister Marian (Gemma Whelan).

‘Anne’s got her wife and she’s setting up her life. She’s protecting her assets and fighting for what she wants,’ says Jones, 43.