New ITV drama Tom Jones, made in Northern Ireland, available from 4th May
Date Posted: April 28, 2023
Tom Jones, a four-part drama reimagining of The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling based on Henry Fielding’s classic novel arrives on ITVX on Thursday 4th May. The series is a rollercoaster story of the title character’s complicated journey to find real love, Tom Jones has delighted and scandalized readers since it was originally published in 1749. A co-production of Mammoth Screen and MASTERPIECE, Tom Jones was filmed entirely on location in and around Belfast with funding from Northern Ireland Screen.
The story follows Tom, a young man who was abandoned as a baby, rescued and adopted by a country gentleman. He grows up kind, handsome and popular with the ladies, but cannot escape his lowly birth, meaning he is unable to be with the woman he loves – wealthy heiress Sophia.
Solly McLeod (The Rising) stars as the hero Tom, alongside Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me) as the heroine Sophia Western and Emmy award winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) as the seductive and vengeful Lady Bellaston. Written by Gwyneth Hughes (Vanity Fair, Miss Austen Regrets), Tom Jones is directed by Georgia Parris (Mari).
Abandoned as a baby, rescued and adopted by a country gentleman called Squire Allworthy, Tom grows up kind, handsome, free-spirited, and very popular with the ladies. But he cannot escape his lowly birth. So when he falls in love with wealthy heiress Sophia Western, and she falls in love with him, their families unite against the match. Tom is banished in disgrace, and Sophia runs aways from home to escape a forced marriage to William Blifil, the heir to Paradise Hall. Sophia is prepared to give up everything for Tom – until she learns that he seems quite unable to say no to a series of adventurous flings with other women along the way. Eventually, they both end up in London, facing the wiles and whims of Sophia’s aunt, the beguiling but dangerous Lady Bellaston, who will stop at nothing to destroy their love. Sophia quickly learns that the life of a young woman in London’s high society can be cruel and dangerous. Can Tom ever convince Sophia that he can be true to her? Can love really conquer all?
Written by Gwyneth Hughes (Vanity Fair, Miss Austen Regrets), Tom Jones is directed by Georgia Parris (Mari) and produced by Benjamin Greenacre (The Pale Horse).
Executive producers are James Gandhi, Gwyneth Hughes, Damien Timmer and Helen Ziegler for Mammoth Screen, Susanne Simpson and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE, and Polly Hill for ITV.
