If you were handed a huge sum of cash from a complete stranger, would you think twice about accepting it? That very dilemma is at the heart of Channel 5’s twisty new domestic thriller, The Fortune, which stars Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson as a woman whose life is turned upside down by an unexpected windfall – and it's set to be the broadcaster's most gripping series yet.

Eleanor plays Amanda, who lives a happy life with her husband Jimmy (Matthew Lewis) and son Luke (James Younger), but when she's handed a large inheritance from a man she's never met, things get stranger by the minute. Channel 5 Commissioning Editor Paul Testar, says the series explores "the fragility of family and the ripple effects of long-buried truths" and "will keep audiences hooked from the very first minute".

Intrigued? While we wait for The Fortune to arrive on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the new Channel 5 series, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is The Fortune about?

amanda blakefield (eleanor tomlinson)
Channel 5

The upcoming Channel 5 series will introduce us to Amanda Blakefield (Eleanor Tomlinson), who lives an ordinary existence with her husband Jimmy (Matthew Lewis) and their son Luke (James Younger). But all that is about to change with the arrival of a man she's never met or heard of, who hands her an enormous inheritance by a man.

Amanda’s life rapidly unravels as she finds herself embroiled in the strange world of the Worrall Family - headed up by patriarch Martin Worrall (Denis Lawson) - and their buried family secrets. As Amanda’s story leads her further into the Northumbrian countryside, she begins to unravel the past and it seems everything she thought to be true might not be at all.

Who’s in the cast of The Fortune?

paula wilcox
Channel 5

The cast of The Fortune includes:

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  • Eleanor Tomlinson (The Forsytes, Poldark) as Amanda Blakefield
  • Matthew Lewis (All Creatures Great and Small) as Jimmy
  • Denis Lawson (Midsomer Murders, The Passion) as Martin Worrall
  • Rebecca Front (The Thick of It) as Fiona
  • Callum Woodhouse (The Durrells, All Creatures Great and Small) as Anthony
  • Paula Wilcox (Trying) as Linda, Amanda's mother
  • Stephen Tompkinson (DCI Banks, The Split) as Boots Maddison
  • Danielle Walters (Chewing Gum, Casualty) as Sandy, Amanda's best friend
  • Nina Wadia (EastEnders, The Outlaws) as Laura, a solicitor

Where have I seen Eleanor Tomlinson and Matthew Lewis from?

jimmy brent (matthew lewis)
Channel 5

If you’re a fan of period dramas, you'll likely know Eleanor Tomlinson from Poldark. Eleanor played Ross Poldark's (Aidan Turner) former maid turned wife Demelza. More recently, she took on the role of Louisa Byrne in Channel 5’s The Forsytes, which follows the lives of an upper-class family of stockbrokers across multiple generations.

As for Matthew Lewis, he shot to fame when he played Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films. As an adult, he landed roles in crime dramas Ripper Street and Happy Valley, but is now probably best known for his role as wealthy landowner Hugh Hulton in All Creatures Great and Small.

How can I watch The Fortune?

While Channel 5 hasn't yet shared a release date for The Fortune, we do know that it will air at some point in 2026. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we'll share it here.

What other thrillers can I watch now?

adapted from the best selling novel by andrea mara, "all her fault" opens on a terrifying situation that eventually unearths the deep secrets of a community. marissa irvine (sarah snook, "succession") arrives at 14 arthur avenue, expecting to pick up her young son milo from his first playdate with a boy at his new school. but the woman who answers the door isn’t a mother she recognizes. she isn’t the nanny. she doesn’t have milo. and so begins every parent’s worst nightmare. also stars emmy nominee jake lacy ("the white lotus"), dakota fanning ("the perfect couple") and michael peña ("unstoppable").
Peacock

If you haven't yet seen All Her Fault, we'd highly recommend catching up on it. The series revolves around mother, Marissa Irvine (Sarah Snook), who arrives at a house to collect her son Milo from a playdate only to find her son wasn't ever there. All Her Fault is available to watch on NOW. If you're an Eve Myles fan, we'd also recommend The Guest, which centres around a rather intense friendship (of sorts) between business owner Fran (Eve Myles) and her cleaner, Ria (Gabrielle Creevy). It's brilliantly twisted and you can watch it now on BBC iPlayer.