Sanditon star Sophie Winkleman has opened up about her close friendship with leading lady Rose Williams, who stars as heroine Charlotte Heywood in the hugely popular period drama.
Sophie's character Lady Susan returns to the seaside town in season three, reinstating her role as a close friend and confidant of the newly-engaged protagonist.
Chatting to HELLO!, Sophie revealed that she is just as close with Rose behind the cameras as their characters are on-screen.
"It was a lovely, seamless joy," she said of returning to set following her character's absence in season two. "If you have a nice acting job, you've sort of got a family for life. So coming back to them a few years later was easy and lovely."
On her bond with co-star Rose, she said: "My relationship with Rose had carried on through the seasons. We are very dear friends, so it was lovely to be back with her."
In the new season, viewers learn more about Lady Susan's private life as her relationship with the King is threatened by a younger mistress.
Speaking about the development of her character in season three, Sophie said: "It was nice to have another side of her that wasn't just this quite distinguished society lady who seemed to have no kinks or dents in her confidence because you actually learn that she's actually in quite a vulnerable position being a royal's mistress.
"It's not a relaxing position to be in because if you get dumped it's very demeaning and embarrassing."
She continued: "I think she could relate to Charlotte because she sees her as a younger version of herself and I think she wants her to make the right choices in ways that my character didn't. In those days, sadly for women, marriage did give you security and she doesn't have that."
Sanditon season three premiered on ITVX on Thursday and saw Charlotte Heywood return to the seaside resort having moved back to her hometown at the end of season two.
When she arrives back in Sanditon, with her new fiancé Ralph Starling [Cai Brigden] in tow, an awkward reunion with her former employer Alexander Colbourne [Ben Lloyd-Hughes] brings old feelings to the surface.
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The synopsis continues: "And it's not all celebration for Georgiana [Crystal Clarke], who's called on to meet a startling new challenge but finds support from unlikely sources. Through it all, Charlotte and Georgiana bond over their dilemmas, as well as their resolve to forge their own destinies."
The town also welcomes newcomers in the form of Lady Montrose [Emma Fielding], who has her sights set on Alexander Colbourne and Georgiana Lambe as matches for her children, Lydia [Alice Orr-Ewing] and Harry [Edward Davis].
Sanditon season three premieres on Thursday 17 August on ITVX.