Return to Cranford

Return to Cranford
DVD artwork
Genre	Comedy drama
Created by	Sue Birtwistle Susie Conklin
Written by	Heidi Thomas
Directed by	Simon Curtis
Starring	Judi Dench Imelda Staunton Julia McKenzie Deborah Findlay Barbara Flynn
Composer	Carl Davis
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	2
Production
Executive producers	Kate Harwood Rebecca Eaton
Producer	Sue Birtwistle
Cinematography	Ben Smithard
Editor	Frances Parker
Camera setup	Panavision Genesis HD Camera
Running time	90 minutes
Production companies	BBC WGBH Boston Chestermead
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	20 December (2009-12-20) – 27 December 2009 (2009-12-27)
Related
Cranford (2007 TV series) Cranford (1972 TV series)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Return to Cranford (known in the United Kingdom as the Cranford Christmas Special) is the two-part second season of a British television series directed by Simon Curtis. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was based on material from two novellas and a short story by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1863: Cranford, The Moorland Cottage and The Cage at Cranford. Themes from My Lady Ludlow, Mr Harrison's Confessions and The Last Generation in England are included to provide continuity with the first series.

The two-part Christmas special was transmitted in the UK by BBC One in December 2009. In the United States, it was broadcast by PBS as part of its Masterpiece Theatre series in January 2010.^[1] Cast members from the first season, including but not limited to Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Deborah Findlay and Barbara Flynn reprised their roles, with Jonathan Pryce, Celia Imrie, Lesley Sharp, Nicholas Le Prevost, Jodie Whittaker, Tom Hiddleston, Michelle Dockery, Matthew McNulty, Rory Kinnear and Tim Curry joining the cast.^[1]

The new stories, which were written by Heidi Thomas and directed by Simon Curtis, took place in August 1844; a year after the wedding of Sophy Hutton and Dr Harrison.^[1]