Plot | Cast | Facts | Trailer | Where to watch
Set against the stirrings of change, 5’s drama The Forsytes brings a classic novel to life in a drama brimming with love, betrayal, and unspoken secrets. Written by Debbie Horsfield (Poldark), this eagerly awaited adaptation blends period elegance with timeless intrigue. Premiering on the 20th October at 9pm, if you’re a period drama lover, it’s the perfect excuse to trade your evening for corsets, candlelight, and the drama of one very complicated family!
What is The Forsytes about?
Step into the intricate world of the Forsytes, a wealthy late-Victorian stockbroking family where tradition and duty constantly collide with the desire for love and personal happiness. The Forsytes’ careful stability is disrupted when rival cousins Jolyon and Soames encounter twists of fate, testing loyalties and passions alike! Married Jolyon must face the unexpected return of his former lover — while his daughter June finds herself drawn to someone considered entirely unsuitable, challenging the family’s expectations and their own hearts.
Meanwhile, Soames becomes enchanted by the free-spirited dancer Irene, whose charm and independence spark desire, tension, and inevitable conflict within the family. Against the backdrop of a society on the cusp of change, the series examines whether the Forsytes will follow their heads or their hearts!
Who is in The Forsytes?
- Danny Griffin (Fate: the Winx Saga) plays Jolyon Forsyte, a man torn between duty and heart, whose decisions ripple through the family.
- Joshua Orpin (Titans, Home and Away) plays Soames Forsyte, the ambitious cousin whose charm masks a calculating nature and unyielding desire.
- Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark, The Couple Next Door) plays Louisa Byrne, Jolyon’s former love, whose reappearance challenges old loyalties and hidden passions.
- Tuppence Middleton (War & Peace, Sense8) plays Frances Forsyte, whose loyalty to family and own moral compass shapes much of the household’s dynamics.
- Millie Gibson (Doctor Who) plays Irene Heron, the free-spirited dancer whose independence sparks both attraction and tension in the Forsyte family.
- Stephen Moyer (True Blood, The Gifted) plays Jolyon Senior, a father figure whose experience and wisdom guide (and occasionally frustrate) the younger generation.
- Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean, Coupling) plays James Forsyte, a family member whose ambitions and alliances create their own ripples of drama.
Also in the cast: Francesca Annis, Justine Moore, Jamie Flatters, Eleanor Jackson, Tom Durant-Pritchard, Naomi Frederick, Owen Igiehon, Josette Simon, Sharon Rose and Susan Hampshire
Fun facts about the Forsytes
Here at Freely we were fortunate enough to attend an exclusiveeee screening and Q&A where we not only got some fun facts on this new 5 drama, but also some exciting quotes from the cast and crew!
I think Debbie writes a heroine like no one else. I was just thrilled to have this script land on my doorstep.
-Eleanor Tomlinson
- The series was written and executive produced by Debbie Horsfield, who also worked on Poldark. She’s obsessed with family sagas and wanted to explore the ripple effects of intergenerational drama.
- The Forystes is based on the Forsyte Saga written by John Galsworthy who won the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature.
- Despite its late-Victorian setting, the dialogue is contemporary and relatable, making the characters feel very much alive today.
- The cast had to endure long, hot filming days — sometimes in 34°C — in corsets, hats, and heavy period costumes. Tuppence Middleton jokes, “Taking off the costumes at the end of the day was the best part!”
- Joshua Orpin learned polo and Millie Gibson trained in ballet (with a double for tricky sequences) to bring authenticity to their roles. Millie even got a ballet tattoo for fun!
- In the original books, the female characters were mostly in the shadows. Debbie Horsfield brought them to the forefront, giving them agency, depth, and exciting storylines.
- With a large, diverse cast, the atmosphere on set was lively, collaborative, and full of humour — a real “music hall” vibe according to Francesca Annis.
I’ve always loved a big, epic family saga... what really fascinated me about the Forsyte family is this idea of intergenerational trauma — one generation does its best but unwittingly inflicts damage on the next.
-Debbie Horsfield, writer and executive producer
The trailer:
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Where to watch The Forsytes:
Get your countdown at the ready because The Forsytes starts Monday 20th October at 9pm. Watch | stream on 5.
And pssssst, did you know that The Forsytes has already filmed a second season, so you can look forward to more drama from the Forsyte family in the near future!
And if you've loving the dramaaaa, why not explore some of our favourite period dramas! Or sign-up to our newsletter so you don't miss anyyyy of the latest TV news!
