The Hardacres stars open up on wardrobe struggles as outfits 'were not practical'

The Hardacres has made a triumphant return to Channel 5, delving deep into the glitz of high society life at Hardacre Hall. Shannon Lavelle, the newest face in the period drama, shines as Liza Hardacre, and she recently opened up in an exclusive chat about her on-set attire.

As the storyline transitioned to showcase the Hardacres' luxurious chapter, the characters reveled in lavish outfits. Shannon, who portrays Liza, was enamoured with the exquisite garb but confessed one gown, in particular, proved troublesome.

She revealed: "The dress was the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in my life but it was also the bane of my life. I had a corset on and the top of the dress was a corset, so it was like a double corset."

Describing the arduous task of donning the dress, Shannon explained: "It laced from the nape of my neck all the way down it had the longest trail and I literally couldn't get it off unless I unlaced the whole thing. It took a very long time to take it off and put it on every time, but it was worth it."

Julie Graham, portraying Ma in the series, agreed the women had a tough time with the corsets, reports Lancs Live.

She added: "We had to get into corsets every morning and more importantly get out of them every night."

However, Julie praised the costume designer's brilliance, noting how the apparel lent authenticity and aided in characterisation: "But the costume designer is an absolute genius and the costumes are so authentic and they definitely help you with your character as you definitely hold yourself differently."

She even touched upon the painstaking detail given to the footwear, saying: "Even down to the shoes which are these authentic shoes that have no support whatsoever, so it makes you kind of walk a certain way."

"The costumes were very much part of everyone's performances to be honest, especially going from rags to riches."

Adam Little, who portrays Joe Hardacre, admitted the male costumes posed a challenge.

"I loved the costumes. I mean, they look great, but they're not practical. You can't breathe," he quipped.

"There was this one shirt. It felt like my grandma's blind. It was really hard to wear."

In the forthcoming episode, Mary (Claire Cooper) is thrilled at the prospect of making new friends when they encounter their aristocratic neighbour Lord George Fitzherbert (Owen Roe), and she extends an invitation to the Fitzherberts for a dinner party at the newly established Hardacre Hall.

The Hardacres returns to Channel 5 at 9pm