Everyone loves a messy relationship drama, as long as the drama isn't about them. That's why shows like Netflix's Obsession and the BBC's Doctor Foster have proven to be so addictive for viewers in the UK and beyond.
With that in mind, ITV has commissioned a new drama about adultery called yep, you guessed it, Adultery. The imaginatively named six-part series has been created by BAFTA winner Danny Brocklehurst, whose numerous telly credits include Ten Pound Poms (which is currently still trending on BBC iPlayer), No Return, Stay Close, and The Driver.
As if that's not impressive enough, Brocklehurst also co-created the beloved Sky comedy Brassic, and he also enjoyed huge success with his adaptation of Harlan Coben's Fool Me Once for Netflix.
Adultery promises to be another big hit for Brocklehurst in that vein, especially if the synopsis is anything to go by.
It reads: "There's a psychological equation. It says that 'attraction plus an obstacle equals excitement'. But what happens if the attraction is too strong, if the obstacles are too great. What then? Do you threaten everything?"
According to ITV, Adultery takes a closer look at the "messy complications" that occur between "two ordinary families" when Tom's teenage daughter suddenly finds love with her schoolmate Ollie. All is well, that is until "Tom meets Ollie's mum Beth in the most unexpected of circumstances."
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As a result of this, it's been teased, "the two families' lives are potentially turned upside down forever..."
This begs the question: "Will Tom and Beth be able to control their desires unlike their lovestruck teenagers?"
On top of all that, ITV promises that the "passionate and intense love affair" Tom and Beth embark on in Adultery will raise questions about "class, grief and the effects of social media, as it takes the viewer on a rollercoaster story of passion, parenthood and peril."
Sounds like somewhat of a departure for TV executive Ben Stephenson, who's producing the series via his new transatlantic indie production company, Poison Pen Studios. Previous commissions by the former head of BBC Drama include Sherlock, Line of Duty and Call The Midwife, among many other shows he helped get off the ground during his time at the Beeb.
Speaking on Adultery, Stephenson says: "I am so happy to be able announce this as our first commission for Poison Pen. Danny and Polly share our passion for popular, smart drama – is there anyone more in tune with the audience than these two? We are delighted to be collaborating together on this!"
ITV's Director of Drama, Polly Hill, commissioned Adultery, working alongside Stephenson and his team to bring the show to life. In an official press release, Hill said:
"Danny’s brilliant scripts will have an audience hooked into this adulterous story from the start. At its heart though it's about love and I'm excited to have an addictive love story on ITV, and to be working with Danny and Ben and the team at Poison Pen Studios."
And what about the man behind it all? What does he have to say about your next addictive binge-watch?
"This is a drama about passion," says Brocklehurst, "and I've passionately wanted to write it for some time. I'm thrilled to be partnering with ITV and Poison Pen to bring audiences a show about how love and sex have the capacity to lift us to the highest highs and the lowest lows."
Viewers keen to experience these "highest highs" and "lowest lows" will be able to watch Adultery on ITV1 and STV, as well as ITVX and STV Player via streaming. The series is being produced in association with ITV Studios, who will also distribute Adultery internationally. But the big question is when? When can we get stuck in and watch Brocklehurst's latest for ourselves?
Adultery will begin filming in Manchester at an unspecified time in 2025, which means that the series likely won't air until the end of this year at the earliest. Cast and crew details haven't been announced yet even, so it looks like we might have a bit of a wait on our hands, unfortunately.
This might be a bit premature, but if we had to guess at which stars might end up being involved in the show, Michelle Keegan could be a good one to bet money on. She has appeared in numerous Brocklehurst productions before, after all, including Brassic, Fool Me Once and Ten Pound Poms, but that's purely just speculation (and perhaps a bit of wishful thinking) at this point.
While we wait in this endless limbo to finally see Adultery for ourselves, you might want to keep your eyes peeled for another Brocklehurst/Harlan Coben collaboration titled Lazarus that's heading to Prime Video later this year.
That series stars Sam Claflin (Peaky Blinders) as a forensic psychologist whose life goes through upheaval of a strange, disturbing kind after his father passes. If the success of Fool Me Once is anything to go by, Lazarus could be just the ticket for fans desperately waiting for Adultery.
The series, of course. Not actual adultery.
Adultery is coming to ITV.
After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
