SOME SECRETS ARE BEST KEPT HIDDEN

Acclaimed drama Mistresses returns January 18 as part of BBC AMERICA's Dramaville

Premiering in January as part of BBC AMERICA's Dramaville, the sexy and sophisticated series Mistresses returns with Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) joining stars Shelley Conn (Terra Nova), Orla Brady (Fringe), Sharon Small (About a Boy) and Sarah Parish (The Pillars of the Earth) for its third and final season. It's been a while since we last saw the girls and a lot has changed. Two years have passed and the once-unbreakable bond between best friends Katie, Trudi, Jessica and Siobhan has been shattered. As the girls gather it's clear their relationship has changed dramatically - there's tension in the room and no happy greetings. What could have happened to bring them to this? Mistresses premieres Wednesday, January 18, 10:00pm ET/PT as part of BBC AMERICA's Dramaville.

Six months earlier, Katie (Sarah Parish) returned from Australia after her relationship with Dan failed. Her life isn't back on track - she's lonely but pretending she's fine. When Katie's widowed mom Vivienne (Joanna Lumley) turns up on her doorstep after travelling abroad, she's less than thrilled. The pair have a frosty relationship and Vivienne's interfering doesn't make things easy. Vivienne sees Katie embarking on another potentially explosive and destructive relationship and Katie refuses to listen to her mother.

Trudi's (Sharon Small) cake-making business has grown and it's taken over her life. Richard (Patrick Baladi) is now a stay-at-home dad, and with three teenage girls to keep in line it's a tough job. Their relationship is struggling under Trudi's increasing workload so an offer from investor Chris Webb (Vincent Regan) to buy the business is more than welcomed by Richard. However Trudi won't consider giving it up, causing Richard to confide in someone who could destroy everything.

Jessica (Shelley Conn) is desperate to have a baby. A miscarriage 18 months ago and no luck since has made her realize what she really wants from life: a family. With Mark still recovering from bankruptcy, IVF looks unlikely until he seeks a loan from a secret source.

Siobhan is a happy single mom enjoying the quiet life with her daughter Elsa, but when Elsa's father Dominic (Adam Rayner) visits from America it's not just his daughter who's thrilled to see him. There is a huge surprise in store for her that will change her plans entirely.

Ahead of the third season premiere, BBC AMERICA will run a fan catch-up Mistresses Marathon of seasons 1 and 2 on Sunday, January 15 from 9:00am-8:00pm ET/PT. Mistresses follows the award-winning miniseries, State of Play, continuing BBC AMERICA's weekly British drama slot Dramaville, airing Wednesdays at 10:00pm ET/PT. Dramaville is the home of groundbreaking British drama including critically acclaimed series The Hour, Whitechapel and Luther.

CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
Katie Sarah Parish (The Pillars of the Earth, The Holiday)
Trudi Sharon Small (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, About a Boy)
Siobhan Orla Brady (Fringe, Strike Back)
Jessica Shelley Conn (Terra Nova, How Do You Know)
Vivienne Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous, Sensitive Skin)
Dominic Adam Rayner (Hawthorne)
Richard Patrick Baladi (The International, The Office)
Simon Adam Astill (Secret Diary of a Call Girl)
Mark Oliver Milburn (Coronation Street)
Chris Webb Vincent Regan (Snow White and the Huntsman, 300)
Alice Alice Patten (Merlin)

Creators SJ Clarkson Lowri Glain

Co-creator Rachel Anthony

Writers Richard Warlow Muirinn Lane Kelly Kate Gartside Nina and Moses Raine

Producer Rhonda Smith

Executive Producers Douglas Rae Lucy Bedford Bethan Jones

An Ecosse Films production for BBC

Note to editors Twitter: @BBCAMERICA Hashtag: #Mistresses

BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy, four Golden Globes and ten Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 71 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.