PBS Masterpiece to Adapt Gil Hornby's Popular Novel 'Miss Austen'

Jane Austen adaptations are a staple on PBS Masterpiece. Though Sanditon is the latest Austen story to hit it big thanks to public media, it's hardly the only one. From Mansfield Park (2008) to Sense & Sensibility (2008) and Northanger Abbey (1983 and 2007) to Emma (2009), it's unlikely that you'll go more than a few years without a new version of one of the beloved author's classic tales arriving on our screens. (Heck, if you're feeling nostalgic, you can watch the famous 1996 A&E adaptation Pride & Prejudice, thanks to PBS Passport!)

But Masterpiece is currently planning to bring us a very different sort of Austen story next year, one focused on the life of the author herself. A four-part limited series is in the works based on Gil Hornby's popular novel Miss Austen, which revolves around the lives and loves of Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra. It delves into why Cassandra burned a treasure trove of letters written by her sister, Jane—an act of destruction that has troubled academics and Austen fans for centuries.

"Miss Austen is about one of the most important people in Jane Austen's life, her sister Cassandra," Masterpiece Executive Producer Susanne Simpson said in a statement. "We can't wait to bring Gill Hornby's captivating novel to life for our Masterpiece audience."