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It was 21 years ago, on the 14th of November 2004, the first episode of North and South BBC TV Serie was aired. Nobody had thought it would be a major success, mainly because Gaskell was, and sadly remains, underrepresented as a female author. Still, this iconic story of love set against the backdrop of Victorian inequality was a huge hit, receiving international acclaim, and its perfection continues to enchant us to this day.

North & South is a British television historical drama programme produced by the BBC and originally broadcast in four episodes on BBC One in November and December 2004. The serial is based on the 1855 Victorian novel North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and takes place in the years surrounding the Great Exhibition of 1851.


It follows the story of Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe), a young woman from southern England who has to move to the North after her father decides to leave the clergy. The family struggles to adjust itself to the industrial town’s customs, especially after meeting the Thorntons, a proud family of cotton mill owners who at first seem to despise their social inferiors. The story explores the issues of class and gender, as Margaret’s sympathy for the town mill workers clashes with her growing attraction to John Thornton (Richard Armitage). The novel was adapted for television by Sandy Welch and directed by Brian Percival.

The television network didn’t have high expectations for the project and didn’t promote it properly. Even so, the series exquisite quality in every aspect powerfully captured the public’s attention.
This sudden interest on the serial was attributed to Richard Armitage, a relatively unknown actor then whose portrayal of the emotionally restrained John Thornton. Armitage himself claims that the series was a success because of the «industrial landscape and the attention [that the series gives] to the working classes and the way they develop.» The reaction to the series was a surprise to the BBC, who then decided to release the DVD on 11 April 2005.

RICHARD ARMITAGE, whose very image conjurs up remembrance of character of Heathcliff in Emily Brontë’s novel «Wuthering Heights,» has a glowering presence and uses it to portray the hard-working mill owner who has to bear down on his workers when it looks as though his cotton mill is about to face a strike. He makes an unfavourable impression on the heroine of the story, played assuredly by DANIELA DENBY-ASHE, who has come north with her family to relocate in a climate and atmosphere not particularly to her liking.

North & South was voted «Best Drama» in the BBC drama website’s annual poll in 2004. Richard Armitage was voted «Most Desirable Drama Star» and «Best Actor», Daniela Denby-Ashe was voted «Best Actress» and three different scenes were voted as the year’s «Favourite Moments», with the final scene winning the number one spot.

This iconic moment from North and South has been called the most romantic scene in TV history!

It’s the most romantic scene in a costume drama ever. The most amazing costume drama ever made. North and South is exquisite, my favourite costume drama of all time. Inspired casting outstanding acting. Superbly amazing .

BBC’s ‘North and South’ (Original Score) by Martin Phipps

One of the most alluring qualities of BBC’s North and South is its moving score, composed by Martin Phipps. You may be familiar with the British composer’s work. Since the release of North and South original score, Phipps has gone on to work on other television period dramas, such as Sense and Sensibility (2008), Peaky Blinders (2013) and The Crown (2019-2020).

But it’s his work on the miniseries adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel that remains one of his most memorable, and it’s one of the greatest tragedies by BBC for never officially releasing it. 
Track “I’ve Seen Hell” is the main theme, and what a majestic theme it is! It starts off with strings, low and grim but still beautiful, until it finally builds up in the end and covers you in goosebumps.