The first look at The Cadburys has been revealed, with Toby Regbo, Harry Gilby, Jessica Barden and Pearce Quigley starring in UKTV’s new six-part drama about the family behind one of Britain’s most famous chocolate brands.
The upcoming six-part series will launch on free-streaming service U in 2027, with the drama also set to air on free-to-air channel U&DRAMA.
Filming has now concluded in Birmingham, where the production has been bringing the story of the Cadbury family to life.
The Cadburys: Key details
- Title: The Cadburys
- Episodes: Six, each 60 minutes
- UK release: 2027
- Where to watch: U and U&DRAMA
- Richard Cadbury: Toby Regbo
- George Cadbury: Harry Gilby
- Maria Cadbury: Jessica Barden
- John Cadbury: Pearce Quigley
- Francis Fry: Ben Hardy
- Elizabeth Adlington: Poppy Gilbert
- Dorothy Adlington: Joanna Scanlan
- Joseph Rowntree: Mathew Baynton
- Filming location: Birmingham and the West Midlands
- Production company: Fable Pictures, in association with Alfresco Pictures
First look at The Cadburys
The newly released images offer the first proper glimpse of the characters at the heart of the drama, set in 1860s Birmingham.
Toby Regbo plays Richard Cadbury, while Harry Gilby takes on the role of his brother George.
Jessica Barden stars as their sister Maria, with Pearce Quigley playing John Cadbury.
The images also introduce Poppy Gilbert as Elizabeth Adlington, Joanna Scanlan as her mother Dorothy, Mathew Baynton as inventor Joseph Rowntree and Ben Hardy as Francis Fry.
The story follows the Cadbury family during a period when chocolate as audiences know it today had yet to be created.
George is determined to develop the first solid eating cocoa, while Richard becomes caught up in a romance with Elizabeth Adlington.
Meanwhile, Maria finds herself drawn to Francis Fry, a member of the family behind Cadbury’s biggest rival.
What is The Cadburys about?
Set in Birmingham during the 1860s, The Cadburys follows brothers Richard and George Cadbury as they take charge of their family’s struggling cocoa business.
The brothers could hardly be more different, but they share an ambitious vision for transforming the failing company.
Their goal is to turn Cadbury into a major confectionery business — although achieving that ambition will require them to overcome their differences and learn to work together.
At the same time, Maria Cadbury is attempting to find her own place within both the family and the business.
Her relationship with Francis Fry complicates matters further, as Fry comes from Cadbury’s biggest rival.
The series promises to combine historical drama with romance, family tensions and the story of the ambitious inventions that helped shape the future of chocolate.
Who stars in The Cadburys?
The drama has assembled a strong cast for its central Cadbury family.
Toby Regbo stars as Richard Cadbury, with Harry Gilby as George Cadbury and Jessica Barden as Maria Cadbury.
Pearce Quigley plays John Cadbury.
Elsewhere in the cast, Poppy Gilbert plays Elizabeth Adlington, Ben Hardy plays Francis Fry, Joanna Scanlan stars as Dorothy Adlington and Mathew Baynton plays Joseph Rowntree.
The series is being written by Chloë Mi Lin Ewart, whose previous credits include Curfew, All Creatures Great and Small and Beyond Paradise, alongside Eve Hedderwick Turner and Karim Khan.
When is The Cadburys on TV?
The Cadburys will be released in 2027.
The series will launch on U, UKTV’s free streaming service, and will also be available on U&DRAMA.
An exact premiere date has not yet been announced.
The drama was previously announced under the working title Chocolate Wars before being renamed The Cadburys.
Where was The Cadburys filmed?
Filming recently wrapped in Birmingham, with the production highlighting the West Midlands’ growing reputation as a destination for major television productions.
The series has been supported by Creative UK through the ERDF-funded West Midlands Production Fund.
The first-look images are also being unveiled as part of the West Midlands Growth Summit, with Mayor Richard Parker due to reveal them on October 8.
The production is being positioned as an example of the region’s ambitions to develop its creative industries and build on its status as a major screen production hub.
The Mayor previously visited the set during filming, seeing the production first-hand as it recreated the story of the Cadbury family and their rise in the world of cocoa and confectionery.
What channel is The Cadburys on?
The Cadburys is a brand-new U&Original drama.
It will premiere on free streaming service U in 2027, while viewers will also be able to watch it on U&DRAMA.
The series has been commissioned by UKTV in partnership with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television.
It is produced by Fable Pictures, in association with Alfresco Pictures, with Sony Pictures Television handling worldwide sales as international distributor.
What does UKTV say about The Cadburys?
Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning at UKTV, said: “We’re excited to reveal the first-look images from The Cadburys, a brilliant new feel-good drama inspired by one of Birmingham’s most iconic stories. The series showcases the exceptional creative talent, locations and production expertise found across the West Midlands, while bringing a story with deep roots in the region to audiences across the UK and beyond. We’re proud to be working with our partners to bring this major new drama to screen and champion the West Midlands as a centre for world-class television production.”
The series is executive produced by Faye Ward, Freddie Highmore, Hannah Price and Claire Londy, with Helen Perry for UKTV and Jess O’Riordan and Jon Farrar for BritBox.
Tom McKay and Jill Robertson direct the series, with Hannah Farrell serving as series producer and Jo Farrugia as casting director.
The Cadburys promises a different side to the famous chocolate story
While the Cadbury name is now synonymous with chocolate, The Cadburys is going back to the family’s early years to explore the people, relationships and ambition behind the business.
The drama will look at the brothers’ attempts to build a confectionery empire while also exploring the personal relationships that threaten to pull the family in different directions.
With a cast led by Toby Regbo, Harry Gilby and Jessica Barden, and filming rooted in Birmingham, the six-part drama is set to bring one of the West Midlands’ best-known stories to a new television audience.
The Cadburys arrives on U and U&DRAMA in 2027.
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