Jenny Seagrove

In this BBC drama series, Mr Justice Deed (played by Martin Shaw) is an unusual English High Court judge. An idealistic lawyer from a working-class background, Deed has got near to the top of his profession by his intellect and his charm, and despite an obsessive belief in justice.

Propelled by Star studded casts and rich period detail, these brilliant adaptations of Barbara Taylor Bradford's bestselling novels bring to life two of her most unfortgettable heroines. The beloved trilogy that begins with Emma Harte's remarkable rise from servant girl to international corporate power comes full circle when Emma's granddaughter must struggle against powerful enemies to keep the family's retail empire from collapsing. From beginning to end, three inspiring stories of love, power and determination. A Woman of Substance charts the life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th Century, to respected business woman and Grandmother in the 1980's. From humble beginnings Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds.

Diana follows the intersecting but very different lives of Jan, a poor but studious young country lad and Diana, the equally single minded daughter of a rich landowner, from the 1920s through to post-war Britain. The early story revolves around the class mismatch between the pair; the besotted Jan attempts to elevate his status through hard work and the more aloof Diana attempts to keep her affections in check and pursue her own goals.