Harlots was ahead of its time in terms of female empowerment, says star Lesley Manville

In the show Manville (Mum, The Crown) plays Lydia Quigley, a ruthless brothel madam living in 18th-century London, and whose rivalry with another brothel owner, played by Samantha Morton, drives much of the plot.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Manville was asked whether she thought the representation of the on-screen female characters would be any different if Harlots had been first commissioned this year.

"No, I actually think Harlots was really ahead of the game," she said. "For all three series we had female producers, female directors exclusively, and because of the - it's an eight episode series [so] for each series we would have three different directors. Always women directors, [a] predominantly female cast as you know."

She continued, "And the stories definitely reflect[ed] a subject and a period where you could portray women in a far different position - pardon the pun - but I think it's more about how empowered these women are, and how they are brilliantly taking their own lives into control.

"It was reflected absolutely in production, it was absolutely brilliant that we had this pretty much exclusively [female] top team level and heads of department."

Harlots - originally broadcast by ITV Encore - has now found a broadcasting home on BBC Two, with series one and two (there are three in total) airing back to back.

The ensemble cast, including Manville and Morton, also features Jessica Brown Findlay, best-known for playing Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey. In Harlots, she plays a popular sex worker who becomes a London celebrity.

Harlots will air on BBC Two from Wednesday 5th August at 9pm, starting with a double-bill. Series one and two will air back-to-back.

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