Great Expectations

Original version

BBC One Yorkshire

Drama: Classic & Period

Orphan Pip's life changes forever when he meets wealthy Miss Havisham and her daughter.

A twist of fate shows Pip a dark world of possibilities, but is he willing to pay the price? Steven Knight's chilling take on the Dickens classic, starring Olivia Colman.

Series 1

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One Nightlight

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One London

London

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One London HD

BBC One South West HD

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West HD

BBC One West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South HD

BBC One Channel Islands HD

BBC One East HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

BBC One North West HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire HD

BBC One South East HD

BBC One South

BBC One Yorkshire HD

BBC One Channel Islands

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One North West

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One Oxfordshire HD

BBC One East Midlands HD

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One West Midlands HD

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

Fionn Whitehead

Tom Sweet

Olivia Colman

Shalom Brune-Franklin

Ashley Thomas

Laurie Ogden

Owen McDonnell

Hayley Squires

Matt Berry

Steven Knight

Brady Hood

Mark Kinsella

Minim UK Productions

Great Expectations: Series 1: Episode 2

Episode 2

BBC One - Great Expectations, Series 1, Episode 2

Miss Havisham continues to teach Pip to become a man, but he soon meets evil Mr Jaggers.

As Pip continues his education with Miss Havisham, he becomes attached to her daughter, Estella. In London, the evil lawyer Mr Jaggers gets a letter that changes Pip’s life forever.

Pip's greatest desire is to learn from Miss Havisham and Estella how to become a gentleman. As he begins to learn the ways of the world, two men are about to hang, but lawyer Mr Jaggers blackmails the judge into pardoning his client. Back at home, Mr Pumblechook declares that Pip should continue his education with Miss Havisham - and be paid handsomely for it. Pip enlists Biddy’s help, offering to pay her out of the allowance he will receive, but she refuses. He fails to see that the only reason Biddy helps him is that she loves him.

Pip’s education begins in earnest, but Miss Havisham has a proposal for Jaggers regarding Pip, one which neither she nor Jaggers will ever admit to the boy. Seeking revenge against all men for her past injuries, Miss Havisham intends to have Jaggers throw Pip to the wild wolves of London. Blissfully unaware of the changes on his horizon, Pip continues his life with Joe. Together they make and sell manacles, shackles and chains for the prison ships moored nearby. Pip will not countenance selling the chains for use in the slave trade, although it would be much more lucrative.

However, Miss Havisham soon offers Pip an opportunity that is too good to turn down: a bag of the finest opium, which he might sell for no less than £6. This is more than Pip can hope to make on his own, and more than enough to buy a suit of clothes to disguise the blacksmith’s boy behind finery and in imitation of the gentleman he might yet become. But it comes with the understanding that his education is over and he is no longer welcome at the Havisham house. Estella is distraught at Miss Havisham’s decision to send Pip away. Pip heads to the local tavern to drown his sorrows, and just as he passes out from too much rum, Mr Jaggers enters his life.

Great Expectations: Series 1

BBC One

Once poor, orphaned Pip meets wealthy Miss Havisham and her daughter Estella, his life changes forever. Thrown into the dangerous city of London, he must battle to control his fate.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Great Expectations

Series 1

Episode 2

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC One Yorkshire

About BBC One