How many episodes of The Hardacres are there?
Channel 5's rags-to-riches Yorkshire saga has quietly become one of British TV's comfort-viewing hits — and the good news is it's a very manageable watch. Here's the full episode count, including the brand-new second series.
The short answer
Twelve episodes in total, as of July 2026 — two series of six episodes each, running about an hour apiece. Series 1 aired on Channel 5 in October and November 2024; series 2 premiered on 5 on 14 May 2026.
The series so far
- Series 1 (2024) — 6 episodes — The Hardacre family work the docks of a Yorkshire fishing port in the 1890s until a scheme from matriarch Mary catapults them into staggering wealth and Hardacre Hall. Old money is not amused.
- Series 2 (2026) — 6 episodes — The family settle into the Hall and start reshaping the world around them, while new villain Lady Imelda Hansen (Michele Dotrice) quietly plots their ruin. It ends with Ma seemingly gambling away the family home.
Who makes it, and who's in it?
The series comes from Playground Entertainment — the company behind All Creatures Great and Small — and is based on The Hardacre Saga, the novels by C. L. Skelton. Claire Cooper and Liam McMahon lead as Mary and Sam Hardacre, with Julie Graham as Ma. Despite the Yorkshire setting, it's actually filmed in Ireland: Hardacre Hall is Cabinteely House in Dublin, with other scenes shot at Powerscourt Estate and Bray Harbour.
Where can you watch it?
In the UK, both series are on Channel 5 and My5. In the US, series 1 streams on BritBox, and series 2 is airing from 5 August to 9 September 2026 — one episode a week.
Will there be a series 3?
Nothing confirmed as of 2026 — but series 2 was greenlit off the back of strong series 1 ratings, and that gambled-away-house cliffhanger doesn't exactly scream "the end". Skelton's saga runs to multiple novels, so there's plenty of source material left.
The whole thing so far is about twelve hours of television. Two cosy weekends and you're fully caught up.