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ITV's The Party: Elizabeth Day on adapting her best-selling thriller for television
Elizabeth Day's best-selling novel The Party has been adapted into a five-part thriller for ITV. The author discusses the themes of obsession, class and betrayal that drive the story.
By Eleanor Ellington · 2 min read
Elizabeth Day's best-selling novel The Party has been turned into a five-part thriller for ITV, with the author opening up about how she adapted her book for the screen. The series, described as «gripping», explores themes of obsession, class and betrayal as it follows a group of friends whose lives are upended by a shocking event.
The Party centres on a close-knit circle whose loyalties are tested when a dark secret emerges during a celebration. Day's novel was praised for its sharp observations of privilege and the fragile dynamics of friendship, and the television adaptation aims to bring those tensions to a wider audience. The author has spoken about the process of translating her written work into a visual medium, noting the challenges of condensing a nuanced narrative into five episodes while preserving its emotional core.
In discussing the themes, Day highlighted how the story examines the ways in which class and social ambition shape personal relationships. The party of the title serves as both a literal gathering and a metaphor for the performances people put on in public, she suggested. The adaptation, produced for ITV, features a cast tasked with capturing the novel's blend of psychological suspense and social commentary.
The transition from page to screen required careful decisions about which plotlines to foreground and which to streamline. Day has described the experience as both exhilarating and daunting, given the book's devoted readership. The five-part structure allows the story to unfold gradually, building tension across episodes rather than rushing towards a single reveal.
Viewers can expect a series that stays true to the novel's exploration of trust and deception, while making the most of television's ability to show rather than tell. The Party joins a growing slate of literary thrillers adapted for British audiences, reflecting continued appetite for character-driven suspense. The show is now available to watch on ITV.
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