Harlots was created by Alison Newman and Moira Buffini, inspired by the non-fiction book The Covent Garden Ladies by British historian Hallie Rubenhold.

The series was given a co-production order by Hulu and ITV on 26 May 2016 for a first season of eight episodes.

Samantha Morton, Lesley Manville, and Jessica Brown Findlay were confirmed to star in the series alongside the initial series order announcement.

Liv Tyler joined the main cast as Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam starting in the second series, as announced on 16 October 2017.

Principal photography for the first series began in June 2016 in London, with most filming taking place at Langleybury Mansion in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire.

Chiswick House was used to recreate 18th-century London for the series, with additional scenes filmed at the Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Harlots was cancelled by Hulu after three seasons in June 2020, after which the BBC acquired the UK rights to broadcast all three series.

The second series achieved a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 7.83/10.