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SANDITON Season 3 On MASTERPIECE (Season Finale this week)

Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS); Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE)
For editorial use only. Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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PBS
Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS); Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

Premieres Sundays, March 19 - April 19, 2023 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS App or binge this fan-favorite series the day of its broadcast premiere with KPBS Passport on March 19!

Wedding bells ring, but for whom?

Jane Austen’s last, incomplete novel gets a glorious finish in the third and final season of SANDITON, MASTERPIECE’s acclaimed continuation of the story and characters created by Austen in her fascinating fragmentary work. SANDITON, Season 3, wraps up the plot in six satisfying episodes. Set amid the romantic intrigues of an English seaside resort in the early 1800s, the MASTERPIECE series has been called “a balmy retreat” (Salon), “lush and fun” (New York Times), and “perfect escapist fare” (Indiewire).

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Welcome Back to Sanditon

True to themes from other Austen novels, the first two seasons raised and dashed various matrimonial prospects for the heroines, played by Rose Williams and Crystal Clarke.

Williams appears as Charlotte Heywood, a young woman from the country whom fate has thrust into the social scene in Sanditon, which is vying to become the go-to spa for fashionable aristocrats and gentry. Although her father intends her to marry local farmer Ralph Starling (Cai Brigden), Charlotte has attracted the attention of some of Sanditon’s most eligible bachelors—among them the enigmatic Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes), a landowner with a mysterious past.

Alexander Colbourne (BEN LLOYD-HUGHES) and Samuel Colbourne (LIAM GARRIGAN)
Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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PBS
Alexander Colbourne (BEN LLOYD-HUGHES) and Samuel Colbourne (LIAM GARRIGAN) MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3.

Clarke’s character, Georgiana Lambe, faces an entirely different problem. A mixed-race heiress from the West Indies, she can’t trust any of her suitors, because in all probability they are only interested in her fortune. The two women bond over these courtship dilemmas as well as their resolve to forge their own destinies.

The returning cast includes Flora Mitchell as Colbourne’s tomboyish young daughter, Leonora, and Eloise Webb as his rebellious niece, Augusta, who falls for a questionable admirer. Kris Marshall reprises his role as Sanditon’s tireless promoter, Tom Parker, joined by Kate Ashfield as his principled wife, Mary, and Turlough Convery as his ebullient brother Arthur.

Tom Parker (KRIS MARSHALL); Mary Parker (KATE ASHFIELD) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3.
For editorial use only. Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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PBS
Tom Parker (KRIS MARSHALL); Mary Parker (KATE ASHFIELD) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3.

Also back are Anne Reid as the imperious Lady Denham; Jack Fox as her dissolute nephew, Edward; and Sophie Winkleman as Charlotte’s high-society friend, Lady Susan, who happens to be the king’s mistress.

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Lady Montrose (EMMA FIELDING); Lydia Montrose (ALICE ORR-EWING); Henry Montrose (EDWARD DAVIS)
Photographer: Joss Barratt. (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd. For editorial use only.
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PBS
Lady Montrose (EMMA FIELDING); Lydia Montrose (ALICE ORR-EWING); Henry Montrose (EDWARD DAVIS) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

Romantic possibilities this season are enhanced by new cast members, including Emma Fielding as the financially distressed Lady Montrose, who arrives in Sanditon to snare matches for her grown children: Lydia (Alice Orr-Ewing), who is an independent-minded young woman; and Lord Henry Montrose (Edward Davis), a duke whose title alone is an attractive selling point, if he is perhaps less suitable in other ways. James Bolam plays Rowleigh Pryce, a crusty investor whom Tom Parker is courting to bankroll a new hotel in Sanditon, subject to Lady Denham’s approval. It turns out that Pryce and Lady Denham share a very interesting past.

Rowleigh Pryce (JAMES BOLAM); Lady Denham (ANNE REID); Tom Parker (KRIS MARSHALL)
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd. For editorial use only.
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PBS
Rowleigh Pryce (JAMES BOLAM); Lady Denham (ANNE REID); Tom Parker (KRIS MARSHALL) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

And there is Liam Garrigan, who appears as Alexander Colbourne’s brother, Samuel, a London attorney whose legal help is crucial as the plot approaches its climax. An eligible bachelor himself, Samuel gets caught up in the Sanditon marriage market. Intrigued by this former sleepy village which has become a place of hidden passions, he eyes a new female acquaintance and muses, “There are so many interesting things going on in Sanditon that require careful observation.”

Samuel Colbourne (LIAM GARRIGAN) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd. For editorial use only.
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PBS
Samuel Colbourne (LIAM GARRIGAN) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

EPISODE GUIDE:

Episode 1: Premieres Sunday, March 19 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Fiancé in tow, Charlotte arrives back in Sanditon for Georgiana’s 21st birthday party, but seeing Colbourne again leaves her feeling uncertain. Meanwhile, Georgiana receives a shocking threat, and Edward tries to prove he is a changed man.

(L-R); Arthur Parker (TURLOUGH CONVERY); Tom Parker (KRIS MARSHALL); Ralph Starling (CAI BRIGDEN); Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS).
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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For editorial use only.Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
(L-R); Arthur Parker (TURLOUGH CONVERY); Tom Parker (KRIS MARSHALL); Ralph Starling (CAI BRIGDEN); Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3.

Episode 2: Premieres Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Georgiana faces a nearly impossible task, but help arrives from a surprising place, which results in Charlotte and Colbourne being thrown together again. Lady Denham accepts a new vision for the town and enjoys sparring with an old flame.

Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS) and Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE)
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS) and Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

Episode 3: Premieres Sunday, April 2 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - The day of Georgiana’s trial arrives, and she gets a surprise visit from an old friend. Colbourne’s shooting party goes ahead, and as he gets closer to Lydia, Charlotte must confront all that she’s lost.

Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS), Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE), Mary Parker (KATE ASHFIELD) and Samuel Colbourne (LIAM GARRIGAN)
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS), Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE), Mary Parker (KATE ASHFIELD) and Samuel Colbourne (LIAM GARRIGAN) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

Episode 4: Premieres Sunday, April 9 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Charlotte attempts to distance herself from Colbourne, but as they are repeatedly thrown into each other’s orbit, their chemistry rises along with Ralph’s suspicions. Meanwhile, Georgiana is unraveling and makes a surprising decision to protect herself.

Rev Hankins (KEVIN ELDON); Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE)
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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PBS
Rev Hankins (KEVIN ELDON); Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

Episode 5: Premieres Sunday, April 16 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Charlotte and Colbourne rush to Augusta’s aid, and it’s revealed whether Edward has really changed. Georgiana is reunited with a ghost from her past, and Charlotte must make a difficult decision about her future.

Edward Denham (JACK FOX); Augusta Markham (ELOISE WEBB)
Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
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Photographer: Joss Barratt (C) Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd
Edward Denham (JACK FOX); Augusta Markham (ELOISE WEBB) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3.

Episode 6: Premieres Sunday, April 23 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Charlotte desperately wants to tell Colbourne the truth about her feelings, but a shocking revelation stops her in her tracks. Having opened her heart, Georgiana’s worst fears are realized when she discovers she has been abandoned.

Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE); Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS)
Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd/Joss. For editorial use only.
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PBS
Georgiana Lambe (CRYSTAL CLARKE); Charlotte Heywood (ROSE WILLIAMS) in MASTERPIECE: SANDITON Season 3

Credits:

A co-production of Red Planet Pictures, MASTERPIECE and ITV in association with PBS Distribution. Justin Young (DEATH IN PARADISE) is lead writer and executive producer. Joe Ainsworth, Andrea Gibb, Robin French, Colin Bytheway, Jo Spain also wrote on the series. Andrew Davies, who originally created the drama, wrote and executive produced. The series producer is Rebecca Hedderly (CASUALTY), the producers are Ian Hogan (BLACK MIRROR) and Amy Rodriguez (HARLOTS) and lead director is Jennie Paddon (DEATH IN PARADISE). Executive producers are Belinda Campbell and Tim Key for Red Planet Pictures and Susanne Simpson for MASTERPIECE. BBC Studios are the international distributors.

“We’re sad to take leave of this marvelous series, which has all the wit and joy expected of a Jane Austen-inspired drama,” says Susanne Simpson, executive producer of MASTERPIECE. “We know viewers will be on the edge of their seats as the final pieces fall into place.”