Line of Duty team's "dark and compelling" ITV thriller with star-studded cast is out today

After being announced in November, The Party is now finally upon us, with the highly anticipated thriller series set to premiere the first of its five instalments on ITV1 tonight (11 October).

The series is based on Elizabeth Day's 2017 novel of the same name, with the story following journalist Martin Gilmour (Luke Evans) and politician Ben Fitzmaurice (Tom Cullen) as their shared past threatens to ruin their prospective futures.

From World Productions, the studio behind Line of Duty and Vigil, the star-studded cast includes Joanna Scanlan, Lydia Leonard, Lindsay Duncan and Sarah Solemani. The latter, who plays Lucy Gilmour, also writes and produces the drama.

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The eagerly awaited series, which is being directed by Viviane Andereggen, is billed as a "gripping" psychological thriller which explores themes of "privilege, obsession, class hierarchy and long-buried secrets".

Luckily for those watching on ITV1, the action comes thick and fast, with the next two episodes set to air on Monday and Tuesday (12 and 13 October). The final two parts will air the following week, on Sunday and Monday (18 and 19 October).

Evans, who also serves as an executive producer on the series, has not been shy about his praise for Day's "dark and compelling" novel, with the actor noting that the detailed characters were the main draw.

"I read the book and immediately thought, 'this is just so fun.' It's my kind of story. I love the narrative. I love the characters," he said. "Selfishly, there was also a great leading role that I could play!

"Coming from a very working-class background myself, I understood Martin's journey. Even though it probably wouldn't have been my choice of journey, I understood him. I got the fact that, through a strange route, this man got what he wanted and succeeded."

"He came from nothing, but was very clever, almost chameleon-like, in how he could adapt and observe and blend in, and I just thought it was very interesting," he added. "In the drama, you put those two different classes together and see what happens."

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As for what viewers can expect, Evans teased: "I think they will be fascinated by it and be desperate to tune in for the next episode. It's very intriguing. We never leave you with all the answers.

"That's a great way of writing an episodic drama where you don't answer every single question early on. But above all, I want people to thoroughly enjoy it. The Party is something that really grips you. It's like a speeding train and a rollercoaster in one!"

The Party airs on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.

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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media.  His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.