The Party: Luke Evans and Tom Cullen's 'shocking' new ITV drama based on a book is coming soon
The Party follows two friends and birthday celebrations that have 'tragic consequences'
The Party, a new ITV drama based on the acclaimed novel by Elizabeth Day, is coming soon – and ITV has shared a sneak peek
ITV is a dab hand at turning great books into compelling TV, whether it’s Karen Pirie, Grace, or Playing Nice. New adaptation The Party is next. And it’s a “shocking” new series with an ensemble headed up by Luke Evans and Trespasses star Tom Cullen.
In the upcoming thriller, the leading men – both Welsh – are forced to confront their pasts at an eventful birthday. In a tense stand-off, they must “dredge up the secrets of their past with tragic consequences”.
Here’s everything we know about The Party so far, including plot, cast, start date, and filming locations.
What is The Party on ITV about?
The Party will revolve around lifelong friends Martin and Ben, who confront their pasts at an eventful birthday. Martin meets Ben at an elite boarding school, where they quickly strike an unbreakable bond. The series will pivot between the past and present, showing how they grew up together and partied in London. However, according to the synopsis, they’ll face their greatest test when they meet for Ben’s birthday celebrations 30 years later.
“The news of the Conservative leader’s resignation threatens to derail Ben’s party, as he considers announcing his intention to stand,” it teases.
Why is this a problem? A leadership bid would attract a lot of attention and threaten to “dredge up the secrets of their past with tragic consequences”.
The synopsis continues: “What unfolds is a gripping exploration of identity, privilege and devotion, combined with a tender ode to anyone who has fought to live authentically.”
How many episodes are there?
The Party will have five episodes.
The series will air on both ITV and STV and their respective streaming platforms, ITVX and STV Player.
Who is in the cast?
Luke Evans will play Martin in The Party, co-starring alongside Tom Cullen as Ben. The Welsh actor has appeared in plenty of Hollywood movies, like the Fast and Furious franchise and the live-action Beauty and the Beast (in which he played Gaston). He also starred in Netflix’s Murder Mystery.
True crime drama aficionados will also remember him as Steve Wilkins in ITV’s The Pembrokeshire Murders.
Luke said The Party was destined to be a “truly special” TV show. He said: “To now be bringing The Party to life, both as an actor and as an executive producer is incredibly rewarding. The series is a gripping exploration of loyalty, class, and the truths we hide.”
Tom Cullen recently starred in Channel 4’s romantic drama Trespasses. As well as over 20 movie roles, he played Landry du Lauzon in the History Channel’s Knightfall, Anthony Gillingham in Downton Abbey, and appears in House of the Dragon season 3. The Gold fans will know him as money launderer John Palmer.
The cast also includes:
- Lydia Leonard (Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, Gentlemen Jack) as Serena, Ben’s wife.
- Lindsay Duncan (His Dark Materials, The Leftovers) as Ben’s mother, Lady Katherine.
- Douglas Hodge (We Lie in Time, The Night Manager) as Ben’s father, Lord George Fitzmaurice.
- Joanna Scanlan (Riot Women, After Love) as Martin’s mother.
- Sarah Solemani (Him & Her, Bad Education) as Martin’s pregnant wife, Lucy.
- Amaka Okafor, Bally Gill, Sally Scott, Sam Troughton, and Rakie Ayola have also been cast in undisclosed roles.
Sarah Solemani adapted The Party for TV, having previously adapted Ridley Road for BBC One. She co-wrote Channel 4’s Chivalry, too.
Does The Party have a start date on ITV?
ITV has confirmed that The Party will start in the autumn of 2026. Expect it to land any day now.
Production commenced in October 2025, and the episodes will be available to watch in the near future.
Is the series based on a book?
Yes, The Party is based on a 2017 novel of the same name by Elizabeth Day. The author has written five novels in total: Scissors Paper Stone (2012), Home Fires (2013), Paradise City (2015), The Party (2017), and Magpie (2021). 2026 saw the release of her latest novel One of Us.
Ahead of the series, she said: “I am so thrilled to see this wonderful adaptation of my novel, The Party, come to our screens. To be surrounded by this much talent both in front of and behind the camera is a real career highlight. I am incredibly grateful to the brilliant Luke Evans for championing my book in the first place and to everyone at World Productions and ITV who have been so steadfast in their vision for this project.
“I’m also very grateful to Sarah Solemani for lending her myriad talents to the adaptation. It’s unbelievably exciting to witness my characters and the imagined world they inhabit evolving into this compelling, new creative iteration. And yes, I’ve already asked to be an extra. Multiple times.”
Elizabeth Day is also the host of the hit How to Fail podcast, interviewing the likes of Kate Winslet and Celebrity Traitors star Paloma Faith.
Where was The Party filmed?
Cast and crew of The Party filmed in and around South Wales. The series received support from the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.
Key locations included Cardiff and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
