Cast, Premiere Date, Trailer, Plot

PBS Masterpiece‘s adaptation of Gill Hornby’s best-selling novel Miss Austen has shared new photos from the upcoming series starring Keeley Hawes, Rose Leslie, Alfred Enoch, Max Irons, Phyllis Logan, and more (see the cast in the gallery below) and announced the official premiere date for the four-part period drama about Cassandra Austen and her famous sister, Jane Austen.

“Miss Austen takes a literary mystery — Cassandra Austen notoriously burning her famous sister Jane’s letters — and reimagines it as a fascinating, witty and heartbreaking story of sisterly love, while creating in Cassandra a character as captivating as any Austen heroine,” PBS shares.

Here, find a breakdown of everything there is to know about the Miss Austen series.

What is Miss Austen about?

Miss Austen begins in 1830, 13 years after Jane’s death in 1817 and before Cassandra (Hawes) has burned her sister’s letters. The plot takes place in two timelines: 1830 and flashbacks to Cassandra and Jane’s youth.

Here’s the official description: “The drama begins in 1830, a while after Jane has died. Cassandra (Keeley Hawes) races to see her young friend Isabella (Rose Leslie) who is about to lose her home following her father’s death. Cassandra is ostensibly there to help her friend, but her real motive is to find a stash of private letters which, in the wrong hands, could destroy Jane’s reputation. On discovering them, Cassandra is overwhelmed as she is transported back to her youth. In flashback, we meet Young Cassy [Synnøve Karlsen] and Jane (Patsy Ferran) as they navigate the infatuations, family feuds, and dashed hopes which shaped their lives and laid the foundations for Jane’s unforgettable stories. Cassandra’s reevaluation of her past eventually leads her to realize how blind she has been to the real cause of Isabella’s heartache and distress. Finding a way to guide Isabella towards true happiness, Cassandra is finally able to understand and celebrate the sacrifices she chose to make for her brilliant sister, Jane.”

When does Miss Austen premiere on PBS?

The Miss Austen series premiere date is set for Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 9/8c on PBS, the network announced on Thursday, November 14. The four-part drama, directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Aisling Walsh (Maudie, Elizabeth is Missing) started filming last month in the U.K. and is produced by Stella Merz (Gentleman Jack, Renegade Nell).

Who is in the Miss Austen cast?

Hawes stars as the elder Cassandra with Leslie as Isabella. The younger Cassandra, called Cassy, is played by Synnøve Karlsen. Jane is played by Patsy Ferran. Enoch plays a character called Mr. Lidderdale, with Logan as Mrs. Austen and Irons as Henry Hobday. Calam Lynch, Jessica Hynes, Kevin McNally, Mirren Mack, and Liv Hill round out the cast.

See the stars of Miss Austen in the gallery below.

Miss Austen, Series Premiere, Sunday, May 4, 9/8c, PBS