Viewers 'obsessed' by Channel 5 drama that has been compared to All Creatures Great and Small

Channel 5's new period drama has been a huge hit with viewers, who have claimed that they are "obsessed" with the cosy show. From the producers of All Creatures Great and Small, The Hardacresfollows a rags-to-riches family 1890s Yorkshire - and viewers are loving it.

Taking to X to discuss, one person wrote: "I love The Hardacres so much. I am rooting for them so much as they show up the snobbish landed gentry. A great cast making a lovely family. Hard grafting working class family making it big & still caring about their old friends & working class."

Another person wrote: "#TheHardacres is the only period drama I’ve wanted to sit and watch, I’m obsessed," while a third posted: "What a refreshing good drama #TheHardacres is on Channel 5 thoroughly enjoyable," with another added: "An excellent second episode of #TheHardacres on Channel 5. Can't wait for next week."

However, others weren't so sure, with one writing: "Not enough happening to make it watchable. I want #thehardacres to work but it needs to get a decent storyline and stop being so predictable. Full of stereotypical characters. Snotty rich v ignorant poor."

Another person wrote: "Trying to watch #TheHardacres but the flipping background noise is louder than the dialogue. Hard work."

Like All Creatures Great and Small, the show is based on a novel series, this time CL Skelton's The Hardacre Saga - but has made some major changes.

Speaking to HELLO!, one of the show's stars Julie Graham explained: "Ma isn't in the books and I don't think Liza is in the books, either. They focus very much on the history and the time that they're set in. Even though it's about the Hardacre family, it's a sprawling, historical setting as well.

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"I didn't read the books, I think if the scripts hadn't been so vivid and come to life so much, I might have gone to the novel but I didn't need to… But obviously, we want the family of the author to be happy with what we've done."

Her co-star Claire Cooper added: "You're telling a different story here with what we're doing," explained the actress. "You kind of want to focus on what you're telling. You don't want to be influenced by something that's not going to happen in our story.

There's an element of that world that is created and we are just celebrating it and branching off."