ITV confirms release date for new drama Adultery starring Dominic Cooper and Romola Garai

Adultery launches on Sunday 25 October at 9pm on ITV and STV, continuing on Monday at 9pm, with all episodes available to stream on ITVX and STV Player.

The premiere of ITV’s provocative new drama Adultery has brought its leading cast and creative team together to discuss a story of forbidden passion, family turmoil and the complicated moral choices that can change lives forever.

Starring Dominic Cooper as Tom Kirkman and Romola Garai as Beth Brookes, the six-part series explores the consequences of an intense love affair that threatens to destabilise two families. Blending passion with the pressures of parenthood, grief, class and social media, the drama promises a story in which relationships are rarely straightforward and loyalties are put to the test.

Joining the post-premiere Q&A were Cooper, Garai, Shelley Conn, who plays Hannah Kirkman, Matthew McNulty, who plays Neil Brookes, and series creator and writer Danny Brocklehurst. Leila Khan, Johnny Sanpher, Andrew Knott and Charley Webb were also in attendance.

The cast praised Brocklehurst’s writing for capturing the emotional complexity of the characters, with Cooper highlighting how closely the finished drama followed the scripts.

“everything was completely on the page… it was so naturalistic”, he said.

Garai echoed his assessment, describing the depth of the material and the demands it placed on the actors. “every page of this script was just character and emotion… as an actor that’s your heaven, but also there’s nowhere to hide.”

For Brocklehurst, the series offered an opportunity to explore the intricacies of relationships between adults navigating the realities of family life.

He described it as a “grown-up drama about family and love and marriage and people of a certain age”, adding that the subject matter offered considerable scope for examining wider themes.

“it struck me as a really good platform to do a lot of stuff I wanted to do.”

While the affair at the centre of Adultery threatens to cause lasting damage, the creative team is keen for audiences to look beyond simple judgments of right and wrong. Cooper said the intention was to encourage viewers to understand the characters rather than dismiss them outright.

“I hope it makes people reflect, and I hope it can help make people talk.”

Brocklehurst acknowledged that viewers would approach the drama with their own perspectives and experiences, explaining that “everybody will bring their own baggage and morality and prejudices to the show”.

He also revealed that the production filmed several different endings. Although he had a clear idea of what he wanted the conclusion to communicate, the team explored different possibilities for how the story could ultimately unfold.

Garai spoke about finding common ground with Beth, whose circumstances reflect the gradual compromises people can make in their relationships and everyday lives. She suggested that continually prioritising others can eventually lead to frustration and rebellion, describing it as a “cocktail for people to rebel.”

Reflecting on Beth’s experience, she also considered “how you can just give away parcels of yourself over time” and how the character has “just given up too many things, little by little, and left herself with not enough.”

These emotional tensions lie at the heart of the drama, which follows Tom and Beth as their passionate relationship threatens to overturn the lives they have built. Rather than presenting a straightforward love story, Adultery examines the messy complications that emerge when desire collides with responsibility, family and personal history.

The six-episode series is created and written by Danny Brocklehurst. Will Sinclair directed episodes one to three, while Daniel O’Hara directed episodes four to six. Sarah Lewis serves as series producer.

Ben Stephenson, Preethi Mavahalli and Luke Woellhaf executive produce alongside Brocklehurst and Polly Hill for ITV. Produced in association with ITV Studios, the series will also be distributed internationally by the company.

With its focus on the emotional consequences of infidelity and the shifting boundaries of morality, Adultery aims to leave viewers questioning their own assumptions about love, loyalty and the choices people make when their lives take an unexpected turn.

Adultery premieres on Sunday 25 October at 9pm on ITV and STV, with the story continuing on Monday at 9pm. All episodes will be available to stream on ITVX and STV Player.

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