‘Doc Martin’ actor joins all-star cast in ITV’s new ‘Vanity Fair’ mini-series

ITV has announced an all-star cast for its upcoming Vanity Fair adaptation.

Produced by Mammoth Screen, the makers of Victoria and Poldark, the new period drama began filming in Budapest, Hungary last month.

The seven-part series is adapted from English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel by Gwyneth Hughes (Dark Angel, Miss Austen Regrets).

It was revealed in July that Bates Motel star Olivia Cooke will lead the cast as heroine Becky Sharp.

It’s now been confirmed that she’ll be joined by Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) as Sir Pitt Crawley, Frances de La Tour (The History Boys) as Miss Matilda Crawley, Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster) as Miss Pinkerton, Johnny Flynn (Genius) as Dobbin, and Monty Python legend Michael Palin as Thackeray himself.

The cast also includes Tom Bateman (Murder on the Orient Express) as Captain Rawdon Crawley, Charlie Rowe (Salvation) as George Osborne, Claudia Jessie (Line of Duty) as Becky’s confidante Amelia Sedley, Simon Russell Beale (Spooks) and Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) as her parents, and David Fynn (School of Rock) as her brother Joss.

Executive producer Damien Timmer commented: “Vanity Fair is a massive rollercoaster of a story and we’ve assembled an ensemble cast of real range to do it justice, from fast rising stars like Johnny Flynn and Tom Bateman to stage legends like Simon Russell Beale and household names like Suranne Jones and Martin Clunes, all orbiting Olivia Cooke’s irresistible Becky as she conquers the 21st century.

“We hope Thackeray would approve – and with Michael Palin playing him, why wouldn’t he?!”

The official synopsis reads: “Gwyneth Hughes’ adaptation of Thackeray’s literary classic is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and follows Becky Sharp as she attempts to claw her way out of poverty and scale the heights of English Society.

“Her story of “villainy, crime, merriment, lovemaking, jilting, laughing, cheating, fighting and dancing”, takes her all the way to the court of King George IV, via the Battle of Waterloo, breaking hearts and losing fortunes as she goes.”

The original novel is available to buy on Amazon.

Vanity Fair will premiere in 2018 on ITV in the UK and as an Amazon Prime Exclusive in the USA.