Channel 5 describes The Hardacres, its new period drama, as a "bold, gutsy ensemble family drama full of heart" - read our review to find out if it's any good...

The new six-part series is a rags-to-riches tale, following the Hardacre family as they go from their impoverished life working on a fish dock to becoming extremely wealthy - almost overnight.

After a turn of fortune, they are thrust into the high society of 1890s Yorkshire - a society that previously shunned them.

So is The Hardacres any good? Find out in our review...

Is The Hardacres any good?

The Hardacres on Channel 5 introduces us to a working class family who face destitution when the main breadwinner of the family suffers an accident at work. The fear of losing our jobs and struggling to pay the rent is something many of us can relate to.

Staring poverty in the eyes, they refuse to bow down. Instead, matriarch Mary tries something new. And it pays off.

In the space of episode one, the Hardacres go from working a fish market in Yorkshire to being extremely rich.

Of course, the interest here lies in the fact they KNOW what it's like to be poor. So when snobbery comes their way - and it does - they fight back. And it's this fighting spirit that holds the key to this drama.

These are likeable characters. A family we can all relate to. And an engaging storyline of triumph over adversity that will warm the coldest heart...

Hardacre is good old-fashioned storytelling at its best

Independent publisher Ian Skillicorn, of Wyndham Books, rediscovered the forgotten novels. They had gone out of print, having been originally published in the 70s.

He told the Daily Express: "I take my inspiration from the books I inherited from my grandmother. I remembered the Hardacres' story from my childhood.

"When I re-read Hardacre as an adult, I knew it had all the right ingredients to be a hit with a new generation of readers."

He adds: "Hardacre is good old-fashioned storytelling at its best. The lives and loves of the Hardacres keep you gripped until the last page.

"It combines the grit and passion of Catherine Cookson with the riches and glamour of Downton Abbey."

The Hardacres review: Working class people aren't represented on TV

The Hardacres is the brainchild of Call the Midwife and Our Girl writers Amy Roberts and Loren McLaughlin. They chose to make the series because "more working-class people watch telly than any other demographic, but they don't feel like they are represented on the screen".

The series is written and produced by working-class women – unusual for a period drama. McLaughlin told The Guardian: "One of the most important things for us was the class angle. [...] It's rare to see a working-class family at the forefront of any TV show, let alone a period drama."

The Hardacres review - series proves anything is impossible

Billed as a cross between Poldark and Downton Abbey, The Hardacres is based on the bestselling Hardacre saga novels by C.L. Skelton.

But, unlike Downton, this is about a working class family who find themselves thrust into riches - thanks to their hard work (and a bit of luck). There's no rich granddaddy here.

And, come on, admit it - it's always a struggle to get fully behind someone who has been handed their good fortune.

Instead, the Hardacres are a family we can root for. We can boo at the villains and the snobs who don't accept them, and we can cheer when things go their way. They deserve their luck.

This series screams "look what you can achieve" if you work hard enough and are decent people. It puts the heart into heartwarming. And that's exactly what we need right now.

The Hardacres starts on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 9pm on Channel 5 and My5. The episodes will air weekly.