Jane

Jane Austen’s most famous novels have been adapted numerous times, but one film adaptation is widely praised as one of the best.

Period drama fans need to clear their diaries this weekend for a Jane Austen classic.

Devotees of period dramas and Jane Austen classics are being urged to set aside time as a “simply excellent” Austen reimagining is being broadcast free-to-air. Pride & Prejudice stands as one of Austen’s most celebrated novels and the 1813 masterpiece has been brought to screen on countless occasions.

The narrative charts the tempestuous relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy and the ramifications of rash judgements.

In 2005, a period romance film featuring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in the principal roles was released and it garnered widespread critical acclaim from audiences at home. The 2005 Pride & Prejudice film is being shown on BBC Two this Sunday, July 12, having recently departed Netflix.

Screenwriter Deborah Moggach dedicated more than two years to crafting the script, creating approximately 10 different drafts.

Actress Knightley also disclosed on The Graham Norton Show that she hadn’t been an obvious contender for the leading role, as director Joe Wright believed she was “too pretty”.

Despite considerable uncertainties surrounding the film and some criticism from reviewers, Austen devotees have proclaimed it among the finest adaptations to date.

In July 2025, the film appeared in the Readers’ Choice edition of The New York Times’ list of The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century.

Enthusiasts turned to IMDb reviews to voice their opinions, with one declaring it an “emotional masterpiece”, stating: “Pride and Prejudice was the best movie I’ve seen in a very long time, if not the best I’ve ever seen.

“It captured the very essence of Jane Austen’s brilliant novel. In fact, I enjoyed the movie more than the book itself. Everything about the movie was perfect.

“This movie is a work of art, an emotional masterpiece. Watching this movie was actually a life-changing experience.”

Another viewer described it as “absolutely perfect”, sharing: “This Pride and Prejudice adaptation perfectly captured the wit, the intelligence, the passion and the romance of Jane Austen’s classic.

“The 1995 mini is fabulous, and I have watched it many times, but I have always been frustrated that while it got so much of the dialogue and the detail right, it somehow fell flat on some of the more subtle dynamics of the novel. But this movie adaptation has captured what has before been missing!”.

A final fan labelled it “simply excellent”, sharing: “Loved this movie. It’s simplicity that empowered every possibility for imagination. The music, the natural scenes, the arts, and every honest soul in the movie made this film alive.”

Pride & Prejudice is being broadcast on BBC Two this Sunday, July 12, at 4.25pm.

Away from Coronation Street, Leanne Battersby star Jane Danson is married to a famous face

Coronation Street’s Leanne Battersby has had her fair share of romances on the soap but in real life actress Jane Danson is loved-up with a fellow soap star.

Jane shot to fame when she joined the ITV show back in 1997 rocking up as Leanne with the rest of the Battersby clan, including sister Toyah (Georgia Taylor).

And over the years, Leanne has played a part in several big storylines; from shock affairs and sex work to heartbreaking baby loss and drug abuse. And over in Weatherfield recently, she has struck up a romance with newcomer Idris Nazir (Junade Khan).

However, away from the soap, actress Jane is actually married to fellow soap star Robert Beck. Robert has appeared in the likes of Brookside, Emmerdale and Waterloo Road.

And he even appeared in Jane’s own soap Coronation Street back in 2008, playing criminal Jimmy Dockerson. For his Emmerdale stint, he played baddie Damon ‘Harry’ Harris in 1999.

The soap power couple Jane and Robert met in 1999 and tied the knot in 2005. The pair are also parents to Harry – born in July 2006 and Sam – born in February 2009.

Jane and Rob first met in May 1999, at the British Soap Awards. Recalling their first encounter Jane said: “I’m not the world’s most confident person but I’d had a crush on Rob since I was 15, so I thought, I have to speak to him, it’s fate.”

Appearing on Loose Women back in May 2025, Jane was asked about her other half, and whether she ‘manifested’ marrying him. “I have got to be careful here because I’m a little bit younger than him…” she admitted.

“When I was at school, I had a sticker of him on my pencil case and a poster of him. He was in Brookside at the time, another soap that’s no longer around, but he was very big in the soap at the time. I liked him a lot and some years later, when I was a little bit older, he was at the soap awards!”

In an intimate chat with OK! Magazine, Jane revealed the secret to her marriage with Robert, commenting: “Me and my husband have been together for 22 years, and we’re really good friends as well as loving each other lots.”

She also previously shared: “Rob’s absolutely my best friend in the world. We’ve only had about two rows in 20 years. I’m not saying we don’t get on each other’s nerves sometimes, but we’re a strong team and we’ve always allowed each other to be individuals.”

And in December last year, Jane shared a gushing tribute to Robert on their 20-year wedding anniversary. Sharing a beaming photo of them on their special day, Jane shared on Instagram: “Happy 20th wedding anniversary my love @robertbeck529.”

And her Corrie co-stars were quick to respond. On-screen sister Georgia Taylor said: “Absolute couple goals. Love you both so much.” Andy Whyment replied: “Ah Happy 20th wedding anniversary you lovely couple. Enjoy your day.” Samia Longchambon commented: ” Happy big Anniversary you two!” Catherine Tyldesley added: “Happy Anniversary loves.”

Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX

The BBC’s The Other Bennet Sister has been a huge hit with viewers and fans are now looking for similar shows and films to watch.

Period drama lovers will not be able to resist a charming Jane Austen adaptation hailed ‘masterful’ by fans.

Fans of The Other Bennet Sister, which is set to receive a three-part Christmas special, are being urged to seek out an Austen-inspired film widely celebrated as “a classic”.

Drawn from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the opening series of the BBC’s The Other Bennet Sister pulled in 7.3 million UK viewers during its first four weeks on air.

Since its triumphant run, devotees of period drama have been desperately seeking out comparable shows and films to plug the gap while the Christmas special gears up to enter production.

A 2007 film starring Felicity Jones and JJ Feild has emerged as a firm recommendation, serving as an adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1817 novel of the same name.

Northanger Abbey is the title in question, following a young Catherine Morland (Jones), who travels with family friends to Bath and discovers she has captured the hearts of both Henry Tilney (Feild) and John Thorpe (William Beck).

When she receives an invitation to stay at Northanger Abbey, Catherine’s fanciful imagination runs wild as she muddles reality with the Gothic romance found within the pages of her beloved novels.

Viewers have flocked to IMDb to voice their opinions on the film, with one declaring: “Classic!” Another hailed it a “must-watch”, adding: “The 2007 adaptation of Northanger Abbey is a delightful and faithful rendition of Jane Austen’s novel.

“From the charming performances to the captivating storyline, the film brings Austen’s wit and satire to life. Felicity Jones shines as Catherine Morland, perfectly capturing her innocence and imagination, while JJ Feild makes a dashing and charismatic Henry Tilney.

“The adaptation stays true to the novel’s themes, blending romance, humour, and gothic intrigue seamlessly.”

One final enthusiast described it as “masterful”, elaborating: “This is a really lovely TV/film version of this book, and of course… the script is by master adapter Andrew Davies. He is just magnificent. ENJOY this masterful adaptation!”.

A Reddit user put forward the film, which is available to purchase on Prime Video for just £1.89, as a comparable watch to The Other Bennet Sister, commenting: “Surprised Jane Austen adaptations have barely been recommended, unless those are too obvious.

“The Other Bennet Sister is not only a spin-off of Pride and Prejudice with many familiar characters from that story, but in many ways it takes inspiration from other existing Austen novels, which is very Austen of the author, because her stories frequently recycled/reworked the same characters/plot-lines.”

One devotee took to Reddit to express their desire for a fresh Northanger Abbey adaptation off the back of The Other Bennet Sister’s triumph, writing: “@BBC thank you for adapting this rather than another round of endless adaptations of Austen’s books that already have so many amazing adaptations!

“@Netflix take notes! Fans don’t want you to ruin Austen’s work with crummy adaptations that don’t do the original ones justice.

“Let’s adapt other beautiful stories instead! Honestly, I would be fine with another Northanger Abbey adaptation or maybe a Mansfield Park adaptation if it’s absolutely needed.”

Northanger Abbey is available to buy on Prime Video for £1.89

As the noise-rap-electro act Jane Remover shrieked and pleaded through a 90-minute marathon set at the Fonda on Thursday night, one very young couple dressed right out of a conservative‘s nightmare — gender-ambiguous, purple hair, facial piercings — tapped me on the shoulder. They politely asked if I could mind their newly bought vinyl for a bit as they thrashed in the heaving crowd. Of course, this unc obliged them.

Anyone who laments that L.A. crowds don’t dance should go to one of the last sets of Jane Remover’s three-night stand at the Fonda this weekend. It had the most genuinely raucous pit I’ve seen in 2026, made all the more feral for how sweet and earnest it was. After a hotly tipped Coachella set, this Live Exhibit tour affirmed that the subculture Jane Remover built may or may not have wider pop potential, but it’s getting big enough to count for stardom in the fractured music world of today.

Jane Remover is a trans polymath producer and singer-songwriter with influences across rave, shoegaze, trap and beyond. They’ve built up a ferocious elaboration on the hyperpop of predecessors like Sophie, who similarly packed so many good ideas into songs they became talismanic to fans, a tonic to reinvent yourself (new Charli XCX opener Underscores is another fellow traveler).

The music itself sounds like reverse-engineering the moment in the 2000s when metalcore kids discovered EDM. Only now it’s Discord-disaffected youth ramping up hardstyle techno, autotuned girlypop ballads and rage-rap to an explosive fusion point. “Census Designated,” Jane’s brash and dramatic 2023 coming-out LP, tipped them as a force beyond the underground. But they soon eclipsed it with 2025’s “Revengeseekerz,” a deliriously overheated mix of romantic yearning, internet score-settling and virtuosic production prowess.

Backed by just a DJ (Dazedgxd, who opened the set) and a retina-scorching light rig up front, Jane acknowledged on Thursday that the stakes were getting much higher. They joked that they’d played the El Rey like three times before this tour, and to judge by the wild-eyed passions out in the audience, the Fonda will probably be the smallest venue they’ll play for some time. “It gets so cold this high up,” Jane sang on “Turn Up or Die.” “Can’t go to hell but I can drop you off.”

The sentiments driving the music are ultramodern: self-aware, vicious and desperately vulnerable. The hilariously zesty “Angels in Camo” (home to the all-time banger of a line: “Jesus never had it with a freak b—”) wrapped up with a bloodletting plea that “I can’t let you b— win.” Jane wields that word like the flaming sword on the “Revengeseekerz” album cover, with all the casual lustiness of Future but also the wrath of a reclaimed slur.

On “Professional Vengeance,” they grappled with the weird lures of celebrity and intimacy, where no one really knows anyone but desire still courses; “Experimental Skin” found them craving and fighting off God and nihilism and technology and addiction all at once.

The tension in these tracks are the binding agent for Jane’s fan base — the music is full of contradictions and incompatibilities smashing together that just feel like being young right now. Other than a quick affirmation that fans of all identities and backgrounds will always be welcome at their shows, they let the contorting, violent music speak for itself about the way queer fans are feeling about life under siege in the United States.

If the set was a bit too long for the limited setup onstage, it was because Jane simply had that much music to let out — that caliber of emotion to unburden, that much want to acknowledge. It seemed like the set was closing with “In the Dark,” an aching ballad from their Venturing side project, plainly declaring “I still dream of us” through a fog of effects. But instead they ramped it back up for one last cathartic blast to close, sending their faithful out onto Hollywood Boulevard, sweaty and filthy and fundamentally known.