Sanditon star insists Jane Austen would have written character’s revolutionary gay romance for period drama: ‘It was inevitable’

Arthur Parker finally gets his chance at romance in the final season of Sanditon (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

*Sanditon season 3 spoilers – episode 4 and beyond – below*

Sanditon star Turlough Convery reckons ‘rulebreaker’ Jane Austen would have written his character’s queer romance into the story had she been active today, as he opened up on how seriously the show took this groundbreaking first.

The series, which is wrapping up with its third season, was based on a fragment of a novel Austen left after her death and has proven somewhat of a triumph in adversity.

Initially cancelled after its first season before being saved due to overwhelming fan support, only to lose its original leading man Theo James to pastures new, and then film the second and third seasons back-to-back under strict Covid protocols in 2021… it’s been a lot.

However, Sanditon is back with real flare and a lot of romance for its final curtain as showrunner Justin Young and his team endeavour to wrap up everybody’s stories with neat, romantic bows – just as many traditional period drama viewers adore.

Alongside finally getting to see if Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) will get her happily ever after with brooding former employer Alexander Colbourne (Ben Loyd-Hughes), there’s also a dangerous flirtation for debutante Augusta (Eloise Webb) and local bad boy Sir Edward Denham (Jack Fox), a second chance romance for Anne Reid’s crotchety Lady Denham and even the prospect for Lady Susan (Sophie Winkleman) to get her own shot at true love as the King’s affections waver.

Perhaps the most striking and sweet of these belongs to Convery’s character Arthur Parker though, who strikes up a friendship with newcomer to the seaside resort, Lord Harry Montrose (Edward Davis).

It later blossoms into a gay love story – although not before a rather serious complication with Arthur’s pal, heiress Georgiana (Crystal Clarke), who is considering an all-too-real marriage of convenience with Montrose. The course of true love, eh?

Discussing his character’s arc, the actor said he felt it was ‘inevitable’ and ‘always going to end this way’ for Arthur – even if it had come from the quill pen of Austen herself.

‘I think Jane Austen, if she was writing now would have written Arthur like that – I really, deeply believe that,’ Convery told Metro.co.uk. ‘Because the reality is that a person like Arthur, a person who is othered in society, who is beginning to understand himself and his sexuality and who he is within this world, and understanding what potential romantic connection is – those people existed, at all times they existed!

‘Jane Austen would have known and seen people like this.’

The Jane Austen inspired period drama, following the exploits of country girl Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams, L) returns for a final bow (Picture: ITV)

Actor Turlough Convery felt Arthur’s gay storyline was ‘inevitable’ and how Jane Austen would have written it herself (Picture: Getty)

‘She was a rulebreaker. She was someone who just went no, I’m not going to accept that it has to be a certain way – and I appreciate that,’ he added.

‘She gave women a voice at a time when women weren’t allowed to have a voice. And I think if that doesn’t speak to who she would be now and who she would be writing about – characters like Arthur – then I think we’re misconstruing history.’

Arthur has gone on quite the journey throughout Sanditon’s run as the youngest Parker sibling, always kind – if a little bumbling – and eager to help his older brother Tom’s (Kris Marshall) grand schemes for the town come to fruition.

As Convery puts it, he ‘plays up to his clowning nature because he doesn’t know what else there was’ before embarking on a ‘beautiful journey’ as he really begins to get to ‘know himself’.

Talk first came of Arthur’s sexuality taking centre stage ahead of filming the final two seasons, a move which both the Northern Irish star and the show’s creative team firmly agreed upon.

Arthur with his older brother Tom (Kris Marshall, C) and sister-in-law Mary (Kate Ashfield, R) (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

Newcomer Lord Montrose (Edward Davis, L) complicates things at first by starting to court Arthur’s heiress friend Georgiana (Crystal Clarke, R) (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

‘When I was first approached by Justin and [executive producer] Belinda Campbell and the team, one of the big things I said to them was, “We have to approach Arthur’s sexuality, and we have to approach it with an open mind.” And they were super receptive to that, they were like, “That’s exactly what we want to do, we want to explore that side of him.”’

Convery was also aware that there was ‘a really big space’ to fill as the only gay character in a Jane Austen-adjacent series.

‘I don’t think that’s ever been explored in any Jane Austen related shows, and I think that’s a really cool thing and we took that very seriously.

‘[Edward and I] really worked together with Justin to hone and craft and make sure that it was a truthful retelling of the experience of people at that time, and what they went through. Along the way, playing Arthur, I learned a lot about myself – and I think that’s the greatest pleasure of being an actor is to get the chance to play these roles where you discover something about you as well.’

The Killing Eve actor is overflowing with praise for his co-star Davis, whose character arrives in Sanditon as an impoverished member of the aristocracy, complete with sister Lydia (Alice Orr-Ewing) and matchmaking mother Lady Montrose (Emma Fielding).

The two stars were keen to give ‘a truthful retelling of the experience of people at that time’ (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

Montrose’s sister Lydia Alice Orr-Ewing, C) and mother (Emma Fielding, R) with Lady Denham (Anne Reid, L) (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

Having only just finished shooting on season two when Davis came aboard, Convery admitted that everyone was feeling ‘really low’ on energy as the previous filming block ‘drained a lot of our resources’ – but his co-star was a reinvigorating presence.

‘I remember the first scene he filmed was where I introduce him to Georgiana, so his very first day on set, he’s dressed up in this ridiculous outfit – he had this massive cape because he had his dukedom or whatever it is, and his big hat…

‘Honestly it was so wonderful as Arthur to see that because in the other seasons, Arthur has always been the one wearing the silly capes, the purple jackets and green embroidery and amazing multicoloured waistcoats.

‘So to see this amazing guy come strutting down the street, absolutely peacocking, it brought so much joy to me that day that I was like, “Oh, we’re in for a good time here!”’

The pair were also well-matched in their care and dedication to certain scenes and each other’s characters as well as their own.

‘It was nice meeting that energy and really trying to work to make this relationship happen to make sure Edward and Arthur’s story is fulfilled to the best extent,’ Convery shared.

Convery was delighted to see Montrose join Arthur in the costume stakes (Picture: Red Planet/ITV)

It seems their hard work certainly paid off, with fans in America lucky enough to have already seen season three earlier this year sharing their gratitude with the actor personally; Convery has received messages ‘from around the world’.

‘One of the most striking ones I got was some shortbread and some teas sent all the way from Hawaii to me because it was someone who had seen the show and really connected with Arthur and just wanted to say that it was a really beautiful rendition. She’d never seen a queer character in a Jane Austen and [wanted to share] how much that meant to her, and it really touched me.

‘That’s the reach of not only this story but Sanditon in general. If we could go for 15 more seasons, I’d be there.’

The 32-year-old better be careful with those sorts of admissions around such a passionate fan base, as this season has been confirmed to be the last (truly), whatever’s happened before.

But could he see himself ever tempted into a spin-off in his imaginings? Perhaps Montrose and Arthur finally get to go to that cottage together?

The first obvious hint at Montrose’s sexuality in Sanditon (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

Davis, Convery and the Sanditon team took Montrose and Arthur’s relationship ‘very seriously’ as a Jane Austen first (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

‘Montrose and Arthur up the River Wye, why not?’ he laughs.

The other important person in Arthur’s life is, of course, Georgiana, who ends up with even more on her plate this season as she contends with fending off both proposals and legal challenges as she tries to deal with the pressures of inheriting a vast fortune, all the while still being unable to track down her mother.

Her closest female friend and confidante may be Charlotte, but Georgiana and Arthur are somewhat kindred spirits with a special closeness of their own.

 Convery has clearly loved every minute of working with the ‘amazing’ Clarke over Sanditon’s entirety as he reflected on their characters’ unique bond.

‘One of our big things was that – even in the first season – he is someone who brings out a light in her, he is the one who gets her to dance at certain parties. I think they both recognise their otherness from society, they recognise it in each other, and they find solace and connection in that,’ he pointed out.

Georgiana and Arthur have found ‘solace’ in their otherness from society, helping to forge their friendship, shares Convery (Picture: Red Planet/Rob Youngson/ITV)

‘When everyone else is asking them to be certain things and to conform to certain ideas, they find someone that they can sit down and have a cake with.’

While everybody is flocking around her, asking her to behave or do things in a certain why, Arthur ‘asks very little of her’ says the actor – and she also ‘holds Arthur in line when it comes to eating cakes’, he jokes.

‘He just wants to be along for the ride, and in comparison with other people who are trying to give her guidance, he’s someone who goes, I just want to be your friend – and I think we could all do with a bit of Arthur in our life.’

Sanditon season 3 is available to stream now in full on ITVX.

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The show took this first for an Austen drama ‘very seriously’.