When The Hardacres first arrived on our screens in 2024, it swept viewers into a world of ambition, upheaval and unbreakable family bonds. Set against the dramatic backdrop of a rapidly changing Britain, the series followed the Yorkshire-based Hardacre family as they dared to dream beyond their station, navigating shifting fortunes, social expectations and the personal cost of reinvention. It was a story of resilience and risk… and we were captivated!
This month, the saga continues. The second series promises even higher stakes as the former dockworkers confront the consequences of their rise to wealth. With new alliances forming and old rivalries simmering, the family must fight to protect everything they have built. Will the arrival of the formidable Lady Imelda Hansen prove to be a threat to their new position in society?
One question looms large: how much are the Hardacres willing to sacrifice to hold on to their future?
Who stars in The Hardacres?
Julie Graham as Ma
As the formidable matriarch of the Hardacre family, Ma is the driving force behind their rise in fortune. Fiercely protective and relentlessly ambitious, she is determined to secure a better life for her family. But as new challenges threaten their hard-won status, her strength and resolve are put to the ultimate test.
Scottish actress Julie Graham has appeared in a vast array of TV shows during her glittering 40-year career. Some of her best-known roles include Megan Hartnoll in At Home With The Braithwaites (2000-2003), Rhona Kelly in Shetland (2014-2022), Sheron Dawson in Benidorm (2016-2018).
She has also had leading roles in Casualty (1988), Harry (1993-1995), Between The Sheets (2003), William And Mary (2003-2005), Bonekickers (2008), Survivors (2008-2010), The Bletchley Circle (2012-2014), Queens Of Mystery (2019-2021), and This City Is Ours (2025).
On top of that, she’s made guest appearances in some of TV’s most popular dramas, including Midsomer Murders (2013 and 2023), Death In Paradise (2013), New Tricks (2014) and Doctor Who (2020). She's a busy woman!
Claire Cooper as Mary Hardacre
Ma’s (Julie Graham) daughter Mary is ambitious, sharp-minded and quietly determined to shape her own destiny. Growing up amid the family’s changing fortunes, she is torn between loyalty to her roots and the tantalising possibilities of a new social world. As expectations close in, Mary must decide exactly who she wants to become.
Before starring in The Hardacres, Claire Cooper was best known for her role of Jacqui McQueen in the long-running soap opera Hollyoaks, from 2006-2013. She has also briefly appeared in Coronation Street (2006) and Waterloo Road (2006).
Claire's other notable TV roles include Waking The Dead (2004), Scott & Bailey (2014) and Knightfall (2019).
Liam McMahon as Sam Hardacre
Mary’s (Claire Cooper) husband Sam is spirited, principled and fiercely loyal to his family. As opportunities expand beyond the world he has always known, he is tempted by independence and the promise of carving out his own path. But ambition comes at a cost, and Sam must weigh personal freedom against the bonds that define him.
Liam McMahon has previously appeared in The Tudors (2008), Titanic: Blood & Steel (2012), The Borgias (2013), The Fall (2013) and Warrior Nun (2020). He also starred in the 2008 movie Hunger.
Adam Little as Joe Hardacre
Joe is Sam (Liam McMahon) and Mary’s (Claire Cooper) eldest son, growing up amid the family’s dramatic rise in fortune. Loyal to his siblings but eager to prove himself, Joe feels the pull between his working‑class roots and the new opportunities now within reach.
You might have seen Adam Little in Years And Years (2019), Ackley Bridge (2022), Coronation Street (2022-2023) and Just Act Normal (2025).
Shannon Lavelle as Liza Hardacre
Liza is Sam (Liam McMahon) and Mary’s (Claire Cooper) daughter – spirited and unafraid to speak her mind. Watching her parents strive for a better life has shaped Liza’s own fierce sense of ambition. But as the family steps into unfamiliar society, her outspokenness and independence may prove to be both her greatest strength and her greatest challenge.
Shannon Lavelle is an up-and-coming actress who also recently co-starred as Chloe in Riot Women (2025).
Zak Ford-Williams as Harry Hardacre
Harry is Sam (Liam McMahon) and Mary’s (Claire Cooper) youngest son, and is a steady, dependable presence within the Hardacre family. A hard-working man who has long provided for his household, he views the family’s rising fortunes with both pride and caution.
Zak Ford-Williams is also known for his role as Lord Remington in the Netflix series Bridgerton (2024). He has also made appearances in Wolfe (2021), Better (2023) and Midsomer Murders (2023).
Owen Roe as Lord George Fitzherbert
Lord George Fitzherbert is the commanding patriarch of the Fitzherbert family, and a powerful figure within elite society. A staunch guardian of tradition and status, he watches the Hardacres’ rise with measured interest.
Owen Roe has previously appeared in Ballykissangel (1996-2001), The Ambassador (1998-1999), Any Time Now (2002), Inspector George Gently (2007), Whistleblower (2008), Cromwell In Ireland (2008), Single-Handed (2009), Val Falvey TD (2009), Prisoners Wives (2013), Ice Cream Girls (2013), The Walshes (2014), Penny Dreadful (2014-2015), Vikings (2015-2016), Fair City (2015-2019), Undercover (2016), Dead And Buried (2024) and From That Small Island (2025).
Cathy Belton as Lady Emma Fitzherbert
Lady Emma Fitzherbert moves effortlessly in the highest social circles and embodies the world the Hardacres aspire to enter. Polished, perceptive and quietly influential, she understands the rules of society better than anyone, and frequently clashes with the Hardacres due to her elitist nature.
Cathy Belton has taken lead roles in ROY (2009-2015), Single-Handed (2010), Red Rock (2015-2020), The Woman In White (2018), Miss Scarlet And The Duke (2020-2023), Hidden Assets (2021-2023) and The Catch (2023).
Holly Sturton as Lady Adella Fitzherbert
Lady Adella Fitzherbert is a self-assured and sometimes mischievous aristocrat, who is keenly aware of her family’s social standing. Accustomed to privilege and the expectations that come with it, she views the Hardacres’ ascent with a discerning eye.
You may have seen Holly Sturton as Beatrice Garston in Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale (2024-2025). She has also appeared in The Young Offenders (2026).
Michele Dotrice as Lady Imelda Hansen
Lady Imelda is a formidable and calculating presence whose arrival sends shockwaves through both the Fitzherbert household and the Hardacres’ carefully built world. Elegant but unyielding, she is determined to protect her family’s standing at any cost, and sees the Hardacres as a threat that must be firmly contained.
Michele Dotrice will forever be remembered for playing the role of Betty Spencer in classic BBC sitcom Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em (1973-1978). Her other credits include Signpost (1961-1962), The Old Curiosity Shop (1962-1963), Les Misérables (1967), Middlemarch (1968), Bramwell (1995), Midsomer Murders (1998), The Mrs Bradley Mysteries (2000), Holby City (2002), Murder In Suburbia (2005), Agatha Christie’s Marple (2010), Death In Paradise (2014), A Very English Scandal (2018), McDonald & Dodds (2020), Inside No 9 (2024) and Unforgotten (2025).
Where was The Hardacres filmed?
Despite being set in Yorkshire, The Hardacres is actually filmed in Dublin and County Wicklow in Ireland! Claire Cooper, who plays Mary, tells TVChoice, ‘Even though we’re filming in Ireland, we can still make it feel like Yorkshire. We’ve got Irish actors doing some incredible Yorkshire accents. For me, Ireland is a home from home, as my husband is Irish, so I got to see the in-laws!’
Is The Hardacres based on a book?
The Hardacres is actually based on a series of novels by CL Skelton, which were first published in 1976. The books followed the family from the Victorian era into the 1950s, so if the TV show continues to be popular, we may see the story develop through the decades.
When can I watch The Hardacres?
Episode one of season two will be shown on 5 on Thursday 14 May, which is also the date when you’ll be able to binge-watch the entire series on 5 streaming. No spoilers, please, for those of us who want to watch on 5 each week!
Tom Spilsbury has been a writer for TV Choice and its sister publication Total TV Guide since 2021. He was previously the longest-serving editor of the official Doctor Who Magazine (from 2007 to 2017), where he won an Eagle Award in 2012, and the ACE award for Circulation Excellence by a monthly magazine (2014).