Jessie Thompson

Ella Bruccoleri discusses filming The Other Bennet Sister’s viral lake sequence, in which Mary Bennet is escorted between two suitors while one falls into the water. The scene combines sincere romance with absurd comedy and deliberately echoes Colin Firth’s iconic wet-shirt moment in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation. Bruccoleri reveals that she stayed dry while her co-stars endured cold water without wetsuits, assisted by stunt diver Guiomar Alonso, and explains that she played Mary as a queen embracing rare “main character” confidence. The BBC drama has been well received, Bruccoleri has been shortlisted for a National Television Award, and a three-part Christmas special is planned.

Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt discuss how the unconventional You Choose concept was rejected by nine publishers before Random House took it on. The interactive, illustration-led books have since sold more than 2.5 million copies in 18 languages, becoming a beloved series that encourages children to make choices, talk, develop language and share focused reading time. The latest installment, You Choose Party Time, continues the series' inclusive approach, while educators, speech therapists and families use the books for communication, learning and imaginative play.

Lisa Owens’s novel Natural Disaster is celebrated as an intense, relatable portrayal of the emotional and logistical complexity of early motherhood. Drawing influence from Mrs Dalloway, Uncut Gems and classic picture books, the novel captures a single chaotic day in the life of a mother on her final day of maternity leave. Owens discusses the challenge of writing while parenting, the scarcity of creative time and the heightened significance of everyday tasks. The book highlights both the joy and pressure of caring for young children, resonating strongly with new parents through its honesty, humor and emotional depth.