Trailer released for The Forsytes, coming to 5 and Masterpiece PBS
Audiences got their first glimpse today of The Forsytes, a sweeping new drama set to air on Channel 5 this autumn in the UK and on Masterpiece PBS in the U.S. early next year.
The glossy period piece reimagines John Galsworthy’s celebrated Forsyte novels, thrusting viewers into the heart of Victorian London, where fortune and social standing dictate every move. Spanning four generations of a powerful stockbroking dynasty, the series explores ambition, romance, betrayal, and the age-old question: do you follow reason, or risk everything for love?
The trailer teases an opulent production brimming with grand costumes, glittering ballrooms, and the high-stakes world of marriage and money in a city on the cusp of change. At its core lies a family both united and divided—rivals, lovers, artists, and industrialists, all caught in the web of expectation.
The ensemble cast is as rich as the drama itself. Francesca Annis (Flesh and Blood) anchors the series as formidable matriarch Ann Forsyte, with Stephen Moyer (True Blood, Sexy Beast) as her eldest son, Jolyon Senior, who steers the family business, Forsyte & Co. Danny Griffin (Fate: The Winx Saga) plays his free-spirited son Jo, while Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era) appears as Jo’s high-society wife, Frances. Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) stars as Louisa Byrne, a Soho dressmaker and Jo’s first love, adding further intrigue to the tangled family loyalties.
Watch The Forsytes trailer, released today.
The Forsyte clan’s other branch is no less dramatic: Jack Davenport (The Morning Show) portrays Ann’s ambitious younger son James, with Joshua Orpin (Titans) as his calculating heir, Soames. Millie Gibson (Doctor Who) plays Irene, a ballet dancer who captures Soames’ affections. Tom Durant Pritchard (This Is Going to Hurt) takes on the role of the idle but charming Monty Dartie, while Jamie Flatters (Avatar: The Way of Water) appears as visionary architect Philip Bosinney. Josette Simon (Anatomy of a Scandal) plays wealthy heiress Mrs. Ellen Parker Barrington, and Owen Igiehon (Disclaimer) features as sharp-witted lawyer Isaac Cole.
With its striking visuals and a cast packed with familiar faces, The Forsytes promises a lavish blend of passion and power. The series has already begun early work on a second season, signalling big confidence in this ambitious new adaptation.
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