ITV has a new thriller beginning tonight, with Luke Evans and Tom Cullen leading The Party, a five-part adaptation of Elizabeth Day’s bestselling novel. Evans stars as political journalist Martin Gilmour, whose life has been shaped by his decades-long friendship with wealthy politician Ben Fitzmaurice, played by Cullen. The pair first met when Martin won a scholarship to an elite boarding school, and Martin has remained close to Ben and his family ever since. Thirty years later, he is invited to Ben’s lavish birthday party, where old secrets begin to catch up with them.

What Time Is The Party on Tonight?

The Party begins tonight, Sunday 11 October, at 9pm on ITV1 and STV. The drama has five episodes in total and will air across three consecutive nights, beginning with tonight’s premiere. It will also be available to watch through ITVX and STV Player.

The series moves between the events of Ben’s birthday party, the police investigation that follows and earlier periods in Martin and Ben’s lives, including their school and university years. Things begin to unravel when news of the Conservative leader’s resignation arrives during the party and Ben considers putting himself forward, something Martin fears could bring unwanted attention to secrets from their past.

What Is The Party About?

Martin grew up in South Wales with his mother Sylvia, played by Joanna Scanlan, before meeting Ben at boarding school and becoming part of the Fitzmaurice family’s world. Their friendship has survived for decades, but there is something in their past that Martin has spent years trying to keep buried.

Sarah Solemani adapted the novel for television and also stars as Martin’s wife Lucy, with Lydia Leonard playing Ben’s wife Serena. Lindsay Duncan appears as Ben’s mother Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice, while Joanna Scanlan plays Sylvia Gilmour. As the birthday party gets underway, the story begins moving between what happened that night and the events that brought Martin and Ben to this point.

For CultureCues, we love a good ITV thriller and this one has a brilliant cast. Luke Evans and Tom Cullen leading it together already had us looking forward to it, and the mix of a decades-long friendship, a huge secret and a birthday party that goes very wrong sounds like something we’ll get through pretty quickly. With five episodes and the story playing out over just a few nights, we’ll definitely be watching.

The Party begins tonight, Sunday 11 October, at 9pm on ITV1 and STV.

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