Long live the queen.

The biographical historical drama details the early life of Queen Victoria. We follow her ascension to the throne at the age of eighteen and witness her meet her eventual husband Prince Albert.

Victoria proved to be a ratings winner for ITV when it launched in late August, averaging around 7.7 million viewers and beating rival period drama Poldark on BBC One.

Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman took on the iconic title role for the eight-part series, and she will return to play the monarch in a second season of the show.

Tom Hughes, who plays the dashing Prince Albert, is also signed up for the new series.

ITV's head of drama Polly Hill and director of television Kevin Lygo announced the news today.

Lygo said: ‘[producer] Mammoth [Screen] and [screenwriter] Daisy Goodwin have brought the characters so vividly to life in this series, and we're thrilled with the reception for Victoria.

‘We're pleased to be able to confirm that Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes will return to continue the story.’

Goodwin said: ‘Even though she reigned in the 19th century, Victoria is a heroine for our times. In the next series she faces the very modern dilemma of how to juggle children with her husband and her job.

‘As Victoria will discover, it’s hard to be a wife, a mother and ruler of the most powerful nation on earth!’

Exciting stuff.

 

Via Hollywood Reporter