BritBox has confirmed the lead cast for The Cadburys, a six-part period drama inspired by Deborah Cadbury's book Chocolate Wars, with production now under way in Birmingham. The series charts the rise of the Cadbury family and their Quaker-rooted cocoa business, positioning the story as a warm-hearted family drama about ambition, rivalry and loyalty during the birth of modern chocolate.

The cast is led by Harry Gilby as George Cadbury, Toby Regbo as Richard Cadbury, Jessica Barden as Maria Cadbury, Pearce Quigley as John Cadbury and Ben Hardy as rival Francis Fry, with Joanna Scanlan and Poppy Gilbert also featured. Set in 1860s Birmingham, the plot follows two contrasting brothers taking charge of the failing family firm, complicated by Maria's romance with the Cadburys' biggest competitor. A commission with UKTV and Sony Pictures Television, the show is produced by Fable Pictures, written by Chloë Mi Lin Ewart with Hedderwick Turner and Karim Khan, directed by Tom McKay, and executive produced by Freddie Highmore among others, with Sony handling worldwide sales.