‘The Larkins’ recap: What happened in the Christmas special?

A feature-length festive episode of The Larkins aired in the UK tonight!

Based on the novels by H.E. Bates, ITV’s popular comedy-drama launched this autumn, from the creator of The Durrells.

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.

Bradley Walsh (Doctor WhoLaw & Order: UK) and Joanna Scanlan (Notes on a Scandalare back as Pop and Ma.

They’re joined once again by Bridgerton actress Sabrina Bartlett as Mariette Larkin, and Tok Stephen (Grantchester) as Cedric ‘Charley’ Charlton.

Also returning are Peter Davison (All Creatures Great and Small) as the Vicar, Robert Bathurst (Downton Abbey) as Johnny Delamere, Tony Gardner (Last Tango in Halifax) as Alec Norman, and Amelia Bullmore (Gentleman Jack) as Miss Edith Pilchester.

Here’s a plot recap for the special, ‘The Larkins at Christmas’, which aired on ITV at 9pm on Saturday 25th December 2021:

In the village all the talk is of the pantomime and an ongoing spate of burglaries – Miss Pilchester, the Normans and Johnny Delamere are amongst the victims.

Whilst PC Harness applies his limited gifts to finding the culprit, Mariette and Charley take their love to the next level…

Pop and Ma are overjoyed to have the pair back for Christmas, but when Charley’s parents arrive to meet the Larkin clan, and the entire village is left without lighting and heating following a power cut, chaos descends on the Larkins farm.

The complete original The Darling Buds of May series is available on DVD on Amazon.