How many episodes are in The Party?

The Party has 5 episodes in this listed season.

When does The Party premiere?

The Party premieres on 2026-10-11.

Is The Party a new series?

The Party is a new series (Season 1).

NEW

The Party(2026)

Upcoming · ITVX

5 eps

S01

Drama

ON AIR: OCT 11Season 1

What to Expect

PremiereLens read

The Party builds its drama across two timelines: a single charged evening at a country house birthday party, and the police investigation that follows it. Flashbacks fill in thirty years of history between Martin and Ben, moving through boarding school corridors, university, and London nights, so that by the time the present-day crisis arrives, the weight behind every exchange is already loaded.

Ben's possible announcement as a Conservative leadership candidate is what cracks things open. The publicity that would follow threatens to surface secrets Martin has spent decades helping to bury, and the cost of that loyalty, accumulated quietly across a lifetime, becomes the engine of the story. Martin's devotion to Ben was born from genuine belonging, a working-class boy welcomed into a world that was never meant for him, and that origin makes his impossible position genuinely painful rather than merely dramatic.

Best for

country-house mystery, lifelong friendship and Drama

Story lane

Drama

Commitment

Season 1 · 5 episodes

Where

ITVX

Official Premise

Raised alone by his working-class mum, Sylvia, Martin wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school, where he first meets Ben. They forge an unbreakable bond, as Ben and the Fitzmaurice's give Martin the sense of belonging he has always craved. In turn, Martin remains unflinchingly loyal to Ben through even the greatest crises.Three decades on, Martin is invited to Ben's lavish birthday party at the Fitzmaurice's country pile. The news of the Conservative leader's resignation threatens to derail Ben's party, as he considers announcing his intention to stand. Martin fears the publicity that Ben's bid would bring, dredging up the secrets of their past with tragic consequences …The drama moves between the shocking events of the party and the police investigation that follows, with flashbacks to Martin and Ben's lives at school, university and London party days.What unfolds is a gripping exploration of identity, privilege and devotion, combined with a tender ode to anyone who has fought to live authentically.

Watch Next If This Is Your Lane

Start with the closest match, then check out two more shows with a similar feel, pace, mood, or theme.

Half Man

BBC One • Apr 23, 2026

Drama

Half Man follows estranged 'brothers' Niall and Ruben. When Niall's estranged 'brother' Ruben shows up at his wedding, it leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives. Spanning almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers' relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults - with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city - a changing world, even - and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question... What does it mean to be a man?

View show

Strongest Match

The Party and Half Man both make a lifelong bond compelling through years of affection, hurt, and loyalty that can turn sharply funny or furious. The Party revisits Martin and Ben’s friendship as old secrets threaten to surface, while Half Man follows two men whose closeness is repeatedly strained by violence and distance.

Wild Cherry

BBC One • Jun 24, 2026

DramaHorror

A shocking scandal at an exclusive private school forces two close friends, Lorna and Juliet, to take sides, exploring mother-daughter relationships, social media pressures, and the dark underbelly of a privileged community.

View show

Why this pick

The Party and Wild Cherry build tension from close relationships cracking under secrets and the pressure to keep up appearances. In The Party, a lavish gathering brings old loyalties and hidden history into view; Wild Cherry shifts that unease to an elite school, where a scandal strains friendships and mother-daughter ties.

Karen Pirie

ITVX • Jul 20, 2025

DramaCrime

When a historic murder case in St Andrews becomes the subject of a true crime podcast, fearless DS Karen Pirie is tasked with solving it.

View show

Why this pick

The Party and Karen Pirie draw you in with patient British storytelling, where past events gradually change how the present looks. The Party moves between a charged birthday gathering and earlier chapters of a friendship, while Karen Pirie follows a detective through a cold case, letting small clues and dry workplace exchanges build the mystery.

Want the bigger picture?

Get recommendations from a show you love See 3 more shows like The Party

More Discovery Paths

All October 2026 Premieres Back to Upcoming Browse Archive