Jane Austen completed only 11 chapters before stopping work in March 1817, she died four months later. The first half hour of this program covers what Austen wrote, from there the story is the work of screenwriter Andrew Davies.
Theo James (Sidney Parker) and Ruth Kearney (Eliza Campion) are real-life husband and wife. They have been married since 2018 and together since 2009. They met attending the same theatre school.
On May 6, 2021 Masterpiece PBS announced that an online campaign by the #SanditonSisterhood to #SaveSanditon was successful, and that the show would be returning for two additional seasons. This announcement came 19 months after the initial cancelation by ITV.
Sophie Winkelman plays a Lady Susan. In real life she is a Lady. She is married to the son of Queen Elizabeths first cousin, Lord Fredrick Windsor. Therefore, her actual title is Lady Sophie Windsor.
On Wednesday, 11th December 2019 ITV announced that it would not be commissioning a second series of the period drama due to disappointing viewing figures. An ITV spokesperson said "We loved Sanditon and we were very proud to have it on ITV. We would have loved it to return, but unfortunately we just didn't get the audience that would make that possible for us, which is heartbreaking for everybody involved in this wonderful adaptation. Sanditon is yet to air in the US and we hope they may find a way of continuing with this series." This is the second ITV period drama to be cancelled before it has aired in the U.S. following on from the announcement that Beecham House would not be recommissioned.