The Party is a 5-part drama starring Luke Evans and Tom Cullen.
ITV's political thriller is adapted from Elizabeth Day's bestselling novel and written for the screen by Sarah Solemani, who also stars. It follows Martin Gilmour, a working-class boy who wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school and forges a lifelong bond with the wealthy, charismatic Ben Fitzmaurice.
Decades later, Martin attends Ben's lavish birthday party as Ben weighs a run for the Conservative leadership, and fears the attendant publicity could expose secrets from their past, with tragic consequences. The story moves between the party itself, a police investigation and flashbacks to the pair's earlier lives.
Here's a guide to the actors and characters appearing in the drama.
The Party cast list
- Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour
- Tom Cullen as Ben Fitzmaurice
- Sarah Solemani as Lucy Gilmour
- Lydia Leonard as Serena Fitzmaurice
- Joanna Scanlan as Sylvia Gilmour
- Lindsay Duncan as Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice
- Douglas Hodge as Lord George Fitzmaurice
Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour
About the character: Martin Gilmour is a working-class boy who earns a scholarship to an elite boarding school, where he becomes devoted to the charismatic Ben Fitzmaurice. Years on, now married, he attends Ben's extravagant birthday party and fears old secrets are about to surface.
Where you've seen Luke Evans before: Evans is a Welsh actor who began on the West End stage before moving into film and television. He played Gaston in Disney's 2017 live-action Beauty and the Beast, John Moore across both seasons of The Alienist, and Lars Lee in the Hulu miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers. His other credits include Bard the Bowman in The Hobbit films, Owen Shaw in the Fast & Furious franchise and the title role in Dracula Untold.
Tom Cullen as Ben Fitzmaurice
About the character: Ben Fitzmaurice is the wealthy, magnetic figure at the centre of the story, a politician considering a run for the Conservative leadership whose birthday party sets the drama in motion.
Where you've seen Tom Cullen before: Cullen is a Welsh actor and director who broke through in the film Weekend and is widely known for Downton Abbey, Knightfall and The Gold. He also played Thomas Seymour in Becoming Elizabeth and Ser Luthor Largent in House of the Dragon.
Sarah Solemani as Lucy Gilmour
About the character: Lucy Gilmour is Martin's pregnant wife. Solemani also created and wrote the series for television.
Where you've seen Sarah Solemani before: Solemani is an actor and writer known for Him & Her, Bridget Jones's Baby and Ridley Road, as well as her screenwriting work.
Lydia Leonard as Serena Fitzmaurice
About the character: Serena Fitzmaurice is Ben's formidable wife.
Where you've seen Lydia Leonard before: Leonard is an acclaimed stage and screen actor whose credits include Wolf Hall, Gentleman Jack and Ten Percent, and she has twice been nominated for a Tony Award.
Joanna Scanlan as Sylvia Gilmour
About the character: Sylvia Gilmour is Martin's religious mother. She's also a nurse.
Where you've seen Joanna Scanlan before: Scanlan is a British actor and writer known for The Thick of It, Getting On and No Offence. Her film work includes Notes on a Scandal and After Love, for which she won the BAFTA for leading actress.
Lindsay Duncan as Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice
About the character: Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice is Ben's mother.
Where you've seen Lindsay Duncan before: Duncan is a veteran British actor with prominent screen roles in About Time, His Dark Materials and The Morning Show, alongside a distinguished theatre career.
Douglas Hodge as Lord George Fitzmaurice
About the character: Lord George Fitzmaurice is Ben's father.
Where you've seen Douglas Hodge before: Hodge is an actor, director and musician with an extensive theatre career, alongside screen work in The Night Manager, Penny Dreadful, Joker and The Great.
Supporting cast
- Jonathan Houlston (Doctors): plays young Martin Gilmour
- Lucas Ely (The Crown): plays young Ben Fitzmaurice.
- Sam Troughton (Chernobyl): plays Conservative MP Jarvis Conrad.
- Sally Scott (The Crow Girl): plays Jarvis Conrad's wife, Clarissa.
- Sinéad Matthews (The Crown): plays Heidi Thompson, she is part of Ben's team.
- Bally Gill (Sherwood): plays Dominic Choudhry, he is part of Ben's team.
- Amaka Okafor (Bodies): plays journalist Amina Bates.
- Rakie Ayola (Holby City): plays former Conservative leader Elinor Winner. Her exit. threatens to derail Ben's party.
The Party is on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday 11 October 2026, and will be available to stream on ITVX.
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