Luke Evans Says His New ITV Thriller ‘The Party’ Reveals How The British Class System Still Dominates: “The Idea Of Being Born With A Silver Spoon Is Alive And Well”
Luke Evans' new ITV thriller "The Party" launched last night with nearly 1.5 million viewers. The drama, based on Elizabeth Day's novel and adapted by Sarah Solemani, explores how the British class system continues to dominate modern society. Evans says the show "offers a glimpse into the British class system" that remains "particularly visible" in the UK compared to other countries.
Evans plays journalist Martin Gilmour, shaped by a lifelong friendship with wealthy politician Ben Fitzmaurice (Tom Cullen) that began at elite boarding school. Three decades later, Martin is invited to Ben's lavish birthday party at his country home, where he fears their shared secrets will resurface with tragic consequences. Evans, who grew up in a working-class Welsh village, says he "relates to the way Martin climbs the ladder and manoeuvres his way into the upper echelons of society." ITV Studios is now selling the series to global buyers at MIPCOM.
- Luke Evans stars in class-system drama The Party on ITV
- Nearly 1.5 million viewers watched the launch
- Series explores how British social hierarchy remains particularly visible
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"The Party" is a new ITV drama thriller that examines class divisions in contemporary Britain. Based on Elizabeth Day's novel, the story follows Martin, a journalist who reunites with an old friend, Ben, a wealthy politician, at an exclusive country house party decades after they met at boarding school. The drama explores how their shared history and the class divide between them creates tension as old secrets from their past threaten to resurface.
Luke Evans plays Martin, the journalist from a working-class background who has worked his way into elite circles. Tom Cullen plays Ben, his privileged childhood friend who is now a successful politician. The core of the story is the friendship between these two men and how their different social positions have shaped their relationship over decades.
The show matters because it addresses longstanding questions about whether Britain's class system continues to limit opportunity and divide society. Class has been a central concern in British culture, politics and literature for generations. By centring these questions around the personal story of two men and their friendship, the drama invites viewers to consider how class divisions affect individual lives and relationships in contemporary Britain.