TV - The Larkins

The Darling Buds of May gets a reboot! Watch the trailer for the new series, The Larkins, coming to ITV on Sunday...

The Larkins is a new television adaptation of H.E. Bates’ novel The Darling Buds of May, written by acclaimed screenwriter Simon Nye (Finding Alice, The Durrells, Men Behaving Badly) with the aim of capturing the warmth, optimism and escapism of The Larkin family for a modern generation.

It's thirty years since the much-loved TV adaptation which starred David Jason as "Pop" Larkin alongside Pam Ferris as "Ma" Larkin, with Catherine Zeta-Jones playing their eldest daughter Mariette, who marries tax inspector Cedric "Charley" Charlton, played by Philip Franks. This time the stars are Bradley Walsh (Pop Larkin), Joanna Scanlan (Ma Larkin), Sabrina Bartlett (Mariette Larkin) and Tok Stephen (Charley Charlton).

Joining them will be Peter Davison (the Vicar), Kriss Dosanjh (Brigadier), Amelia Bullmore (Miss Edith Pilchester), Seeta Indrani (Miss Chand), Robert Bathurst (Johnny Delamere), Stephen Hagan (Tom Fisher), Francesca Waterworth (Libby Fothergill), Barney Walsh (PC Harness), Tony Gardner (Alec Norman) and Selina Griffiths (Norma Norman).

Completing the Larkin family on screen will be Lydia Page (Primrose Larkin), Liam Middleton (Montgomery Larkin), Lola Shepelev (Victoria Larkin), Davina Coleman (Zinnia Larkin) and Rosie Coleman (Petunia Larkin).

Set in the late 1950’s, The Larkins follows the golden-hearted wheeler dealer Pop Larkin and his wife Ma, together with their six children, including the beautiful Mariette, as they bask in their idyllic and beautiful patch of paradise in Kent.

Fiercely loyal to each other and their community, there’s an overwhelming sense of plenty in their lives and a lot of joy and raucous laughter. With an endless supply of delicious, hearty meals alongside the odd cocktail or two, the Larkins are always happy to share what they have with others, despite the fact that what they have is sometimes obtained by unusual means!

Sadly their good heartedness is not always shared by certain members of the local community and village gossip (particularly from the Normans) about Pop and his family is often rife.

From government officials and snobbish second homeowners to aggressive urban developers, the Larkins never take threats to their idyllic way of life lying down but when Cedric ‘Charley’ Charlton arrives to inspect their taxes things are looking bleak for The Larkins.

Soon distracted by the beautiful Mariette, Charley quickly discovers that he has a romantic rival in the form of the handsome and mysterious Tom Fisher. Mariette, on the other hand, may have plans of her own, which don’t involve men.

From May Day Fairs, to straw-man pram races and donkey derbies, there’s never a dull moment with The Larkins.

The first episode in the six-episode series starts Sunday 10th October at 8pm on ITV with catch up via ITV Hub

Image - ITV