# ITV release of thriller series The Party

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/itv-release-of-thriller-series-the-party
> Updated: 2026-10-11T15:19:36.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 3.

ITV is preparing to release ‘The Party’, a five-part thriller series based on Elizabeth Day’s 2017 novel. The drama stars Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour, a working-class journalist, and Tom Cullen as Ben Fitzmaurice, a wealthy politician. 

The narrative follows the lifelong friendship between the two men, spanning from their time at an elite boarding school to their adult lives in London. The plot centers on a lavish birthday celebration at the Fitzmaurice estate, which is complicated by political developments, including the resignation of a Conservative leader and Ben’s potential political ambitions. 

Using a non-linear structure, the series moves between the events of the party, a subsequent police investigation involving a shooting, and flashbacks to the characters' shared history. The production features Sarah Solemani as showrunner and actress, appearing as Lucy, Martin’s pregnant wife. The cast includes Joanna Scanlan, Lydia Leonard, Lindsay Duncan, and Douglas Hodge.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-11: ITV releases political thriller drama The Party

ITV’s new five-part political thriller ‘The Party’, starring Luke Evans and Tom Cullen, is based on Elizabeth Day’s novel and follows a celebration that threatens to expose long-held secrets.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/itv-releases-political-thriller-drama-the-party

### 2026-10-02: Luke Evans to star in new ITV drama The Party

Luke Evans stars in ‘The Party’, a new five-part ITV drama based on Elizabeth Day’s novel, exploring identity and privilege through the lens of a complex friendship and a political crisis.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/luke-evans-to-star-in-new-itv-drama-the-party

### 2026-09-16: ITV releases trailer for Luke Evans thriller ‘The Party’

ITV has unveiled a trailer for ‘The Party’, a five-part thriller series starring Luke Evans and Tom Cullen, based on Elizabeth Day’s novel. The drama premieres this October.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/itv-releases-trailer-for-luke-evans-thriller-the-party

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Cite as: ITV release of thriller series The Party. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/itv-release-of-thriller-series-the-party