Consuming Passion: 100 Years of Mills and Boon (BBC-4 2008, Emilia Fox, Olivia Colman)

Consuming Passion is a trilogy of stories about three very different women involved with Romance Publishers du jour Mills and Boon down the ages. In 1908 Charles Boon and his business partner Gerald Mills start up their publishing company and decide to take a chance on what is considered a very low brow area of the readership world, the romance novel. Meanwhile Charles’ wife Mary is determined to stake a place for herself as a modern woman.

Fast forward to the 1970’s when Janet Bottomley, who spends most of her time caring for her elderly mother, falls for the handsome doctor who is going to operate on her mother. Finally the story is brought up to date with university lecturer Kirstie who, whilst busy teaching her students about M&B’s place in the literary canon ends up in an explosive affair with a handsome stranger.

production details
UK / BBC Four / 1×90 minute episode / Broadcast 2 November 2008

Writer: Emma Frost / Producers: Ben Evans, Abi Bach / Executive Producer: John Yorke / Director: Dan Zeff

cast
Daniel Mays as Charles Boon
Jodie Whittaker as Mary Boon
Patrick Kennedy as Gerald Mills
Olivia Colman as Janet Bottomley
Emilia Fox as Kirstie
O.T. Fagbenie as Jake
Patrick Baladi as Dr Grant
Marcia Warren as Janet’s Mother
Nicholas Sidi as Nick
Antonia Kinlay as Lorelei
Ben Joiner as Dirk Tourelle
Simon Chandler as Mr Cowpe
Saran Winman as Mrs Cowpe
Nicky Ladanowski as Brenda