A masterpiece period drama hailed as the gold standard of book adaptations is streaming for free in the UK. The BBC's iconic 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice brought Jane Austen's 1813 tale of romance, class divides, and snobbery in Regency England to the small screen and proved wildly popular.

The blurb on BBC iPlayer reads: "There's great excitement for the Bennets when a young aristocrat makes an appearance. The spectacular adaptation that sparked Austen-mania. Starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle." Fans were bowled over by the on-screen chemistry between Ehle and Firth, who became a major star thanks to his brooding performance as Mr Darcy. The six-episode series was adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by Simon Langton.

One fan on Reddit wrote: "I maintain that the 1995 Pride And Prejudice is the pinnacle of Period Drama. Every second of it is pure delight. I've seen it at least ten times and it is still the best television I've ever seen in any genre.

"Yeah I like it a little LOL."

Another wrote: "Agree wholeheartedly! It's simply peerless! The costumes, music, filming, locations, cast and the technical staff made this absolutely memorable.

"And if course Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle simply are Darcy and Lizzie! Shows what the BBC can do - entirely worth my licence fee!"

A third wrote: "I just started my millionth rewatch today and have to agree. I found myself appreciating all of the little things and thinking how amazing the cast and director were.

"The opening shots of each chapter that set the scene, the small facial expressions that said so much, the costume choices and the music. Ahh, it's divine!"

A fourth said: "Nothing beats it to this day, and I don't think anything ever will. It was one of those moments when the stars aligned, and the final result was an instant classic."

Fans also praised it on chat forum Bogleheads.org, with one responding to a request for British and American period drama recommendations who saying the 1995 BBC production is "arguably the most famous and beloved of all".

A fan on Rotten Tomatoes said they "binge watch the whole series several times a year, it is that good, if you are a P & P the book fan".

"No film is long enough to do the book justice, I feel cheated now watching a movie of this great classic."

Another wrote: "Yearly autumn rewatch. Absolute classic. The cast is perfect and the music and costumes beautiful. It's the ultimate Jane Austen adaptation."

A third called it the "Best TV show ever made". It has a superb 96% score from over 100 ratings among general audiences on the platform. It also has a strong 88% score among approved critics (from 17 reviews).

Pride and Prejudice is streaming free on BBC iPlayer.