When it comes to gritty relationship dramas, there aren’t many that have managed to get even close to the brilliance of The Affair – at least not in our opinion. But it seems the hit Sky show finally has a rival in the form of ITV’s Adultery, the messy relationship drama you won’t be able to resist watching.

Described as "addictive" by the team behind it, the messy drama will introduce us to young lovers Jess and Ollie, who are in the throes of a new relationship and are rapidly falling deeply in love. Only when their parents meet, it seems there’s another attraction forming –a forbidden one with potentially devastating consequences.

“There’s a psychological equation. It says that ‘attraction plus an obstacle equals excitement,'” reads the tantalising teaser from ITV. “But what happens if the attraction is too strong, if the obstacles are too great. What then? Do you threaten everything?”

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As we eagerly await the show’s arrival on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the gripping new affair drama…

What is Adultery about?

The six-part series comes from Bafta-winner Danny Brocklehurst, best known for adapting Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once (see a glimpse of the show below) and co-creating Sky's Brassic. He’s also written TV dramas including Ten Pound Poms and Stay Close – so we’ve already got pretty high hopes for this next project.

fool me once. (l to r) michelle keegan as maya, emmett j. scanlan as shane in fool me once. cr. thomas wood/netflix © 2023.
Netflix

Described by ITV as a "captivating" relationship drama, the story centres around two ordinary families and the messy complications that impact them. The series will introduce us to Tom’s 15-year-old daughter Jess who has found love with schoolmate Ollie - in fact, they can’t take their hands off each, as their relationship becomes somewhat all-consuming.

However, when Tom meets Ollie’s mum Beth in the most unexpected of circumstances, the lives of the two families are potentially turned upside down for good. The question is: will Tom and Beth be able to control their desires unlike their lovestruck teenagers?

According to the official synopsis, Adultery “raises questions about class, grief and the effects of social media, as it takes the viewer on a rollercoaster story of passion, parenthood and peril, as our protagonists Tom and Beth embark upon a passionate and intense love affair that threatens to uproot their whole lives.”

Danny Brocklehurst has shared that it’s a drama about “passion” and one he’s wanted to write for some time. “I’m thrilled to be partnering with ITV and Poison Pen to bring audiences a show about how love and sex have the capacity to lift us to the highest highs and the lowest lows,” he says.

ITV’s Director of Drama, Polly Hill has called it an “addictive” love story, adding: ““Danny’s brilliant scripts will have an audience hooked into this adulterous story from the start.”

Who's starring in Adultery?

still of michelle keegan in brassic
Sky

Details of casting haven’t yet been announced by ITV, but given Danny Brocklehurst has previously worked on Fool Me Once, Brassic (see above) and Ten Pound Poms, all of which feature Michelle Keegan in the cast, we can’t help but wonder if she’ll make an appearance in his latest project.

How can I watch Adultery?

ITV hasn’t yet shared a release date for The Affair, but given that filming will begin in Manchester at some point this year, we wouldn’t expect it to air until the end of the year at the earliest. As soon as we know more, we'll share an update here.