On Tuesday 29 March, The Piece Hall in Halifax rolled out the red carpet for an exclusive premiere of Gentleman Jack series two.

Hundreds of fans turned out to see stars from the series attend the red carpet event and a special screening of the new season that was shown at Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax - the home of Anne Lister.

%image(15712857, type="article-full", alt="Hundreds of fans turned up at The Piece Hall to see the stars of Gentleman Jack")

The show’s creator Sally Wainwright, BAFTA award-winning Suranne Jones, and Gemma Whelan (who plays Marian Lister) were among the cast who walked the red carpet at The Piece Hall.

The series is set in Halifax during 1834 and follows the escapades of landowner and Yorkshire trailblazer Anne Lister (played by Suranne Jones), featuring her collected diaries which document the public and private life of a woman far ahead of her time. It also follows the romantic relationship she held with Ann Walker (played by Sophie Rundle).

Her diaries were part-written in cryptic code and totalled five million words, which writer Sally Wainwright transcribed to create this fantastic show.

%image(15712858, type="article-full", alt="On the red carpet with the stars of Gentleman Jack - Suranne Jones and Gemma Wheelan")

Yorkshire Life magazine was lucky enough to be invited along and catch up with the stars of the series. Suranne Jones told us how great it was to be back in Yorkshire: "The first time I was getting to know the landscape and it feels like this time I was coming home. It’s very welcoming and very grounded. When I travelled here it just looks so beautiful. Sally portrays the landscape like a character and that’s what’s gorgeous about it"

%image(15712859, type="article-full", alt="Suranne Jones expressed that Anne Lister has been one of her favourite ever characters to play")

She went on to say that “Anne Lister was such a remarkable person and being able to shoot the series in Halifax and Calderdale where she created such a stir all those years ago has been so inspiring as an actor."

%image(15712860, type="article-full", alt="Writer Sally Wainright takes to the red carpet at The Piece Hall where she's a patron")

Creator and writer of Gentleman Jack, Sally Wainwright, also expressed her love of Halifax, having grown up in the area she's now done so much for through her writing -

“For too long Anne Lister has been Halifax’s best kept secret and I’m thrilled that Gentleman Jack has helped her finally get the global recognition she deserves. It’s wonderful that we’re able to show fans the next part of her story in the heart of this town which was so important to her.”


%image(15712861, type="article-full", alt="Gemma Wheelan told us that "Marianne is such a great character to play - she's really fun"")

Speaking to Gemma Wheelan, who plays Marianne Lister (Anne's sister), we learned that the cast are all "very excited by the new series. The script is fantastic, if it’s possible we think even better than the first series. We’re so pleased people have waited for it, it’s great to see such an amazing turnout this evening.

It’s really spoken to every demographic and we’re quite taken back that it’s had such an impact."

Series two will follow Anne Lister and Ann Walker setting up home together at Shibden Hall while navigating life as wife and wife in a time when things were very different.

Gentleman Jack series two airs on Sunday 10 April at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Watch the first series of Gentleman Jack over on BBC iPlayer