Summer's Lease
“A family's holiday in Tuscany leads in intrigue and mystery in this BBC classic”
Series Overview
Fortysomething wife and mother Molly Pargeter leads a stable but dull life in 1980s West London. She feels overweight and there is no passion in her relationship with her husband Hugh, who is secretly seeing another woman. For most of her life, Molly has found escape in detective novels and art books, especially on 15th-century Italian fresco painter Piero Della Francesca. Suddenly, in the small ads, she spots the details of a Tuscany villa to let, and after a viewing, she takes it for holiday.
Broadcast Schedule & Network Information
Airing status, episode counts, upcoming schedule, and network syndication.
1 Season • 4 Episodes
55 min per episode
1989 – 1989
Premiered: Wed, Nov 1, 1989
John MortimerLatest Aired Episode
Season 1, Episode 4: “The Urbino Trail”
As holiday's end draws nearer, Molly realises that the answer to her mystery is at the end of the Piero Della Francesca Trail. As she sets off on her trip of discovery, Haverford's night of passion ends in farce.
Seasons & Episodes Breakdown
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Summer's Lease theme tune (1989)
Type: Opening Credits • Published 2023-09-19
Cast & Creators
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Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Martyn Friend
John Mortimer
Nigel Hess
Remi Adefarasin
Tariq Anwar
Colin Rogers
Department Leadership Roster
Martyn Friend
Director
Tim Harvey
Production Design
Remi Adefarasin
Director of Photography
Colin Rogers
Producer
Nigel Hess
Original Music Composer
Tariq Anwar
Editor
John Mortimer
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
12: Suitable only for 12 years and over.
International Certification Matrix
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Summer's Lease.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Summer's Lease
Key facts, seasons breakdown, and credits for search engines and AI assistants.
What is Summer's Lease about?
Fortysomething wife and mother Molly Pargeter leads a stable but dull life in 1980s West London. She feels overweight and there is no passion in her relationship with her husband Hugh, who is secretly seeing another woman. For most of her life, Molly has found escape in detective novels and art books, especially on 15th-century Italian fresco painter Piero Della Francesca. Suddenly, in the small ads, she spots the details of a Tuscany villa to let, and after a viewing, she takes it for holiday.
How many seasons does Summer's Lease have?
Summer's Lease comprises 1 season available to explore.
Who stars in Summer's Lease?
Key cast members in Summer's Lease include Susan Fleetwood, John Gielgud, Michael Pennington, Rosemary Leach, Caroline Waldron.
Who created or directed Summer's Lease?
Summer's Lease was developed and directed by Martyn Friend.