ITV’s new drama Adultery has a twist you won’t see coming, reveals its cast

ITV’s new drama Adultery promises a messy mix of forbidden romance, family complications and difficult moral questions, with its cast revealing how the six-part series aims to keep viewers questioning their own judgement.

Dominic Cooper and Romola Garai lead the provocative new drama as Tom Kirkman and Beth Brookes, whose passionate love affair threatens to turn both their families’ lives upside down.

The series launches on Sunday, 25 October, at 9pm on ITV and STV, with the second episode following on Monday at the same time.

All six episodes will also be available to stream on ITVX and STV Player.

The cast gathered at The Soho Hotel in London on 12 October for the series premiere, where Cooper, Garai, Shelley Conn, Matthew McNulty and creator and writer Danny Brocklehurst discussed the drama’s complicated relationships and emotional intensity.

Cooper, who plays Tom, praised Brocklehurst’s scripts for allowing the actors to bring the characters to life without major changes during filming.

He described the writing as naturalistic, explaining that everything was already on the page, while Garai said the scripts offered actors a rich combination of character and emotion.

For Garai, who plays Beth, that emotional depth is central to the story.

She explained how Beth has gradually given up too much of herself while doing things for other people, leaving her with little of her own identity.

Garai described this accumulation of sacrifice as a situation that can eventually lead someone to rebel.

Brocklehurst, whose previous television credits include Fool Me Once and The Stranger, described Adultery as a grown-up drama about family, love and marriage, with opportunities to explore grief, class and social media.

The creator also revealed that the production filmed several different endings.

Although he knew what he ultimately wanted the conclusion to say, the team explored different ways the story could play out, reflecting the uncertainty and competing perspectives that run through the drama.

Cooper hopes the series will encourage audiences to think rather than simply condemn its characters.

He explained that the intention was not to make viewers hate them, but to encourage sympathy and reflection, potentially opening up conversations about the choices people make.

That approach could be crucial to a story built around an affair that affects two families.

As Tom and Beth pursue their relationship, the drama promises to explore passion, parenthood and the consequences of decisions that cannot easily be undone.

The supporting cast includes Conn as Hannah Kirkman, McNulty as Neil Brookes, Leila Khan as Jess Kirkman, Johnny Sanpher as Ollie Brookes, Andrew Knott as Dickhead Dave and Charley Webb as Leah Kirkman.

Produced in association with ITV Studios, Adultery is created and written by Brocklehurst.

Will Sinclair directs episodes one to three, while Daniel O’Hara directs episodes four to six, with Sarah Lewis serving as series producer.

With its focus on complicated relationships and shifting loyalties, Adultery is positioning itself as a drama in which the audience’s view of the characters may change as new layers of their lives are revealed.

Adultery premieres on ITV and STV on Sunday, 25 October, at 9pm, continuing on Monday, 26 October, at 9pm. All episodes will be available on ITVX and STV Player.

Image credits: ITV/Scott Garfitt