It’s not often we get to see all of our favourite TV stars in the same scene, but familiar faces from some of our most-loved shows are uniting for a new heartwarming series called The Cadburys. Slow Horses’ Joanna Scanlan is joining Bridgerton’s Adam Hashmi and A Woman of Substance’s Toby Regbo in this unmissable period drama telling the story of how the chocolate brand became one of the world’s most famous confectioners.
The series transports us to Willy Wonka’s real-life chocolate factory in 1860s Birmingham, but it’s in crisis. Chalk-and-cheese brothers, Richard Cadbury (Harry Gilby) and George Cadbury (Toby Regbo) are put in charge of their family’s struggling enterprise, but will they learn to trust and rely on each other?
With production underway, here’s everything you need to know about Cadburys, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Cadburys about?
Step away Peaky Blinders, there’s a new iconic Birmingham family we’re obsessing over – although they're a slightly sweeter bunch... Inspired by Deborah Cadbury’s book, Chocolate Wars, The Cadburys will follow the renowned cocoa-family on their rise from underdogs to the creators of the world-renowned Cadbury chocolate bar. The six-part series will transport us to 1860s Birmingham, a time where Dairy Milks didn’t exist (horrifying!) and two wildly different brothers Richard Cadbury (Harry Gilby) and George Cadbury (Toby Regbo – pictured above) find themselves in charge of their family’s failing business.
Between them they have the vision and brains to transform the business into one of the world’s most beloved confectionary businesses – but will they learn to stop butting heads and rely on each other?
Elsewhere, a Romeo and Juliet type saga unfolds – their sister Maria Cadbury (Jessica Barden) who also works for the business, falls in love with Cadbury’s biggest rival, Francis Fry (Ben Hardy) – but where do her true loyalties lie?
What to read next
Joanna Scanlan will play Dorothy Adlington who, according to Selly Manor Museum, was born into the Cadbury family in 1892 and spent some time working in the factory, without special privileges. Later in life, she became fascinated with botany, and was an acclaimed expert on pond weeds. We’re excited to see how Joanna takes on Dorothy – and how historically faithful the adaptation will be.
Who’s in the cast of The Cadburys?
The cast of The Cadburys includes:
- Harry Gilby (Boarders, The Last Kingdom) as George Cadbury,
- Toby Regbo (Outrageous, A Woman of Substance) as Richard Cadbury
- Jessica Barden (Dune: Prophecy, You & Me) as Maria Cadbury
- Pearce Quigley (Small Prophets, The Gentlemen) as John Cadbury
- Ben Hardy (The Conjuring: Last Rites, Unicorns) as Francis Fry
- Joanna Scanlan (Riot Women, Missed Call) as Dorothy Adlington
- Poppy Gilbert (The Other Bennet Sister, My Oxford Year) as Elizabeth Adlington
- Felicity Montagu (Beyond Paradise, I’m Alan Partridge) as Mary Brown
- Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder) as Joseph Rowntree
- Adam Hashmi (Joseph of Egypt, Bridgerton) as William Singh
- Oli Green (The Gray House, Lift) as Howard Lloyd
- Alexander Butler (Fackham Hall, Piglet) as Frank Sheldon.
How can I watch The Cadburys?
Production is officially underway in Birmingham, and will launch on streaming services U and BritBox in 2027.
What other period dramas can I watch now?
If you love a drama steeped in history, you’ll enjoy Jodie Comer’s The White Princess, which centres around the marriage of Henry VII (Jacob Collins-Levy) and Elizabeth of York (Jodie Comer), which brought the houses of Lancaster and York together, bringing an end to the War of the Roses. You can watch The White Princess now on Channel 4. For a period drama starring the brilliant Anna Maxwell Martin, we’d recommend The Bletchley Circle, which takes us back to postwar Britain in 1952. The series follows four former Second World War codebreakers who solve murders. You can watch The Bletchley Circle now on Channel 4.
