Gillian Anderson was cast as Miss Havisham at age 43, notably younger than many actresses who have played the role, which drew significant media attention to the production.

Maxine Audley, who played Miss Havisham in the BBC's 1967 adaptation, was also only 43 at the time, though this drew little attention compared to Anderson's casting decades later.

Gillian Anderson pointed out on The Graham Norton Show that she was only a little younger than Martita Hunt, considered the definitive Miss Havisham in David Lean's film version.

Holdenby House near Northampton was used for three days of filming in July 2011 as the exterior of Satis House, while the interior scenes were filmed at Langleybury Mansion near Watford, Hertfordshire.

The Gargery House and Forge set was built at RSPB Old Hall Marshes near Tollesbury, Essex, and the village church seen in the opening scenes was St Thomas a Beckett church in the deserted Kent village of Fairfield on Romney Marsh.

The PBS broadcast of the series earned four Creative Arts Emmy Awards out of five nominations, winning for Outstanding Art Direction, Cinematography, Costumes, and Main Title Design, with only the Original Main Title Theme Music nomination not winning.

In the UK, the first part of the adaptation received the highest viewing figures in its time slot, attracting 6.6 million viewers.