Why The Party’s cast is the real hook of ITV’s new thriller
ITV’s The Party is a five-part thriller adapted from Elizabeth Day’s novel that follows journalist Martin Gilmour and his entangled friendship with rising politician Ben Fitzmaurice, framed by a police investigation and the fallout from one very consequential celebration. This drama matters not only for its story of identity, class and loyalty, but because its cast is drawn from some of the most acclaimed recent dramas and films, meaning many viewers will tune in on the strength of those familiar faces alone. When a series loads its ensemble with actors audiences already trust, it signals ambition: The Party wants to stand alongside the prestige projects its stars have come from, not sit in their shadow.
Luke Evans: commanding the centre of a prestige-minded ensemble
Keeping The Party anchored is Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour, a journalist whose life is shaped by his long friendship with Ben Fitzmaurice. Evans isn’t a safe piece of ITV thriller casting; he’s a statement that this drama expects to compete at the same level as the big-screen and high-profile television work he usually chooses. He has committed twice over, stepping in front of the camera and serving as an executive producer, saying that from the moment he read Elizabeth Day’s novel, he knew it had the makings of something “truly special for television”. That kind of investment suggests The Party is not just another credit on his CV but a project he expects to sit alongside his most serious drama work.
Tom Cullen and Joanna Scanlan: Slow Horses grit meets character-actor depth
Opposite Evans, Tom Cullen brings the steely charisma that made him stand out in Slow Horses to Ben Fitzmaurice, the wealthy politician whose possible leadership bid threatens to dredge up buried secrets. Casting Cullen as a man balancing public success with private compromise is smart: audiences recognize that tension in his work and will expect layered moral conflict. Joanna Scanlan, playing Martin’s working-class mother Sylvia Gilmour, adds real dramatic weight. She is a Bafta-winning actor whose recent roles span Moira Tregorian in Slow Horses, Gladys May in Joy and Beth in Riot Women, as well as a turn as Bridget’s make-up assistant Cathy in Bridget Jones’s Baby. Her presence signals that the show is serious about exploring class and family with nuance rather than background colour.
Sarah Solemani and Lydia Leonard: a writer-star pairing built on drama credentials
The Party arrives “courtesy of Sarah Solemani, who’s known for her work on the BBC drama Ridley Road as well as the black comedy drama Barry”, a résumé that proves she understands both political tension and dark humour. Her own description of the series — “Class, sex, shame, power, betrayal, secrets” — makes it clear she intends to push ITV into messier territory than a routine political thriller. On screen, Lydia Leonard plays Serena Fitzmaurice, Ben’s formidable wife, adding another layer of power dynamics to the party and the investigation that follows. Leonard’s history of inhabiting powerful characters makes her casting feel deliberate: The Party wants its marital and political negotiations to carry the same charge as its crime elements.
A who’s who of modern drama — and what that promises for The Party
What seals The Party’s promise is how thoroughly its ensemble is drawn from recent prestige drama. Alongside Luke Evans, Tom Cullen and Joanna Scanlan, we have Lindsay Duncan, credited for His Dark Materials, and Douglas Hodge, noted for I Hate Suzie Too, as Ben’s parents Lady Katherine and Lord George Fitzmaurice. The wider ITV thriller cast includes Amaka Okafor (Bodies), Bally Gill (Interview With The Vampire), Rakie Ayola (Grace), Sally Scott (Crow Girl, Black Doves), Sam Troughton (Chernobyl) and Sinéad Matthews (The Crown). This isn’t stunt casting; it’s a deliberate sweep of actors who have already proven they can hold complex stories. When a channel assembles a cast so saturated in prestige credits, it sets expectations. The Party will air on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn, and its performers suggest it intends to feel like appointment television, not background noise.
