The Party: A Prestige Thriller Built on Familiar Faces
ITV’s The Party is a five-part television thriller adapted from Elizabeth Day’s novel, following journalist Martin Gilmour and his lifelong bond with ambitious politician Ben Fitzmaurice as their shared secrets threaten to surface during a high-stakes moment in Ben’s career.
Luke Evans The Party narrative wastes no time: this is event TV designed for viewers who already live on a diet of prestige drama. The series follows Martin Gilmour (Evans), whose identity has been shaped by his intense friendship with wealthy politician Ben Fitzmaurice, played by Tom Cullen, familiar to many from Downton Abbey and Slow Horses. Their dynamic sits at the heart of what is promised as “a gripping exploration of identity, privilege and devotion, combined with a tender ode to anyone who has fought to live authentically”. The hook is simple: bring together actors you already associate with quality and let them tear into a story of loyalty, class and the truths people hide.
Luke Evans and Tom Cullen: From Period Favorites to Political Secrets
If The Party lands, it will be because of its central pairing. As Martin, Luke Evans steps into the sort of morally tangled lead that prestige audiences expect him to dominate. The series tracks how this journalist has been shaped, and arguably warped, by his lifelong attachment to Ben Fitzmaurice. Evans is not only starring but also executive producing through Stoic Productions, calling the project “a gripping exploration of loyalty, class, and the truths we hide”.
Opposite him is Tom Cullen, an inspired piece of casting. ITV has already highlighted him as a star of both Slow Horses and Downton Abbey, and that dual pedigree matters. Cullen’s Ben is a Conservative leader considering a run after a resignation, forcing him to confront the possibility that the campaign will dredge up the pair’s hidden past. For viewers, the fun is in watching a familiar Downton Abbey actor carry all that history into a far sharper, darker world – a Tom Cullen drama where charm might finally curdle into something dangerous.
Sarah Solemani, Joanna Scanlan and the Power Behind the Party
The Party is not content with two big names; it doubles down on credibility behind and in front of the camera. The drama comes to the screen courtesy of Sarah Solemani, already known for crafting knotty, politically aware stories in Ridley Road and for her work on the black comedy Barry. Her involvement is a statement of intent: this is meant to cut into class, sex, shame, power, betrayal and secrets, as she has openly promised.
On screen, the ITV thriller cast gains serious weight from Bafta winner Joanna Scanlan as Sylvia Gilmour, Martin’s working-class mother. Scanlan’s recent run – Moira Tregorian in Slow Horses, Gladys May in Joy, Beth in Riot Women, and a memorable turn as Bridget’s make-up assistant Cathy in Bridget Jones’s Baby – means she arrives with instant authority. Pairing Scanlan with Solemani again is savvy; audiences who spotted them together before will expect nuance in every mother–son exchange.
From The Crown to Gentleman Jack: A Who’s-Who Supporting Cast
Beyond the leads, The Party turns into a spot-the-prestige-production game. Lydia Leonard plays Serena Fitzmaurice, Ben’s formidable wife, and she is no stranger to power on screen. She has portrayed barrister Cherie Blair in The Crown, talent agent Rebecca Fox in Ten Percent, and Anne Lister’s former lover Mariana Lawton in Gentleman Jack, opposite Suranne Jones. In short, Leonard is used to roles where charm covers sharp edges – a perfect fit for the public face of a political couple.
Ben’s parents bring still more dramatic heft: Lindsay Duncan, familiar from His Dark Materials, appears as Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice, with Douglas Hodge (I Hate Suzie Too) as Lord George Fitzmaurice. Around them, you will recognise Amaka Okafor from Bodies, Bally Gill from Interview With The Vampire, Rakie Ayola from Grace, Sally Scott from Crow Girl and Black Doves, Sam Troughton from Chernobyl, and Sinéad Matthews from The Crown. This is prestige casting as a strategy, not an afterthought.
Why This ITV Thriller Cast Matters—and Who Should Watch
The Party will air on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn, positioned as appointment viewing rather than background noise. It unfolds across two timelines, switching between the events of the party, the police investigation that follows, and flashbacks to Martin and Ben’s school and university days. That structure demands actors who can carry history in every glance—and that is exactly what this ensemble offers.
For anyone who has followed Downton Abbey actors into grittier work, or who lights up when a new Slow Horses alum appears, this cast list is the invitation. Fans of Chernobyl, The Crown or His Dark Materials will find familiar faces threaded through every subplot. More than an ITV thriller, The Party looks like a curated reunion of the prestige dramas that have defined the last decade. If your favourite game is asking “where have I seen them before?”, this series is built for you.
