‘Hotel Portofino’ Returns With New Romance, Marital Discord & a Musical Number
Preview
When the sumptuously filmed 1920s drama Hotel Portofino returns, the sunny skies of Italy’s Riviera mirror the mood of Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhone), proud owner of the upscale title hostelry. She’s promoted former nanny Constance (Louisa Binder) to assistant manager and befriended appealing architect Marco (Giorgio Marchesi), who’s building the hotel’s spa.
But dark clouds hover, starting with the reappearance of Bella’s dodgy and unfaithful husband, Cecil (Mark Umbers). He’s been in London since he struck his wife in Season 1. “It’s forced her to confront a lot of things that have been bubbling below the surface and this is sort of the breakdown of their marital relationship, though it’s not easy for Bella,” says creator Matt Baker. “We’re introducing this season, the possibility of life and relationships for Bella after Cecil,” he adds, hinting at a “chaste” love interest for Bella.
Romance is also in the air for their son Lucian (Oliver Dench), on the run from his sexless marriage to the naive Rose (Claude Scott-Mitchell). Making an excuse to return to Italy, he winds up wooing Constance, to whom he’s been attracted. To complicate the already complicated situation, says Baker, “Constance has decisions to make about her young son back home in England, and Rose decides to surprise her husband in Italy! The consequences for all three ends in rather dramatic fashion.”
Plus, his widowed sister, Alice (Olivia Morris), returns from a stay in glamorous San Tropez with a handsome new fiancé (Roby Schinasi) who’s a bit shady. “He purports to be a Swiss Italian from a very rich family,” Baker says. That may break her onetime suitor Count Albani’s (Daniele Pecci) heart.
Though Cecil tells Bella he’s back to try and repair their relationship, once a schemer, always a schemer. Trying to make some big bucks , he strikes business deal not only with local Fascist leader Danioni (Pasquale Esposito) but also bootleggers from prohibition-era Chicago, which “could put the future of the hotel on the line,” the producer teases.
Though the show hits darker notes, such as a household tragedy and more trouble with fascists beginning with Lucian’s buddy Anish (Assad Zaman) and his activist lover Gianluca (Rocco Fasano) and extending to the hotel family, there’s plenty of fun on tap. For one, American entertainer Claudine (Lily Frazer) seeks refuge with Bella to escape a new scandal on a movie set. Thanks to her return, look for another big song and dance number. And just wait until the staff hunt for an anonymous hotel critic on the grounds!
Hotel Portofino, Season 2 Premiere, Sunday, October 15, 8/7c (check local listings at pbs.org)
This is an expanded story from TV Guide Magazine’s 2023 Returning Favorites issue. For more first looks at fall’s returning shows, pick up the issue, on newsstands now.
