Tom Jones: The ITV Period Drama Giving Bridgerton Vibes

If you spent the bank holiday weekend binge-watching Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (like me), you'll probably be on the lookout for your next period drama.

Enter: Tom Jones, ITV's newest offering – and with lusty scenes, pleasingly diverse casting and lots of English country houses and corsets, it might just make a worthy replacement for Bridgerton while we wait for season three of the show.

Here's the premise. Based on Henry Fielding’s classic novel The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling, the story centres on a rough-around-the-edges country chap who falls in love with wealthy heiress Sophia. Of course, their romance faces plenty of obstacles, since Sophia is expected to marry within her own social standings – and Tom himself is used to living the life of a single man, not as husband to a lady.

Intrigued? Here's everything you need to know about Tom Jones…

What is the plot of Tom Jones?

Here's the blurb from ITV: "Abandoned as a baby, rescued and adopted by a country gentleman called Squire Allworthy, Tom grows up kind, handsome, free-spirited, and very popular with the ladies. But he cannot escape his lowly birth. So when he falls in love with wealthy heiress Sophia Western, and she falls in love with him, their families unite against the match.

Tom is banished in disgrace, and Sophia runs aways from home to escape a forced marriage to William Blifil, the heir to Paradise Hall. Sophia is prepared to give up everything for Tom – until she learns that he seems quite unable to say no to a series of adventurous flings with other women along the way. Eventually, they both end up in London, facing the wiles and whims of Sophia’s aunt, the beguiling but dangerous Lady Bellaston, who will stop at nothing to destroy their love. Sophia quickly learns that the life of a young woman in London’s high society can be cruel and dangerous. Can Tom ever convince Sophia that he can be true to her? Can love really conquer all?"

Who is in the cast of Tom Jones?

Solly McLeod (The Rising, House of the Dragon) stars as lead character Tom, while You Don't Know Me's Sophie Wilde plays heiress Sophia Western.

Solly told Town & Country that you can expect a few surprises from his title character. Speaking of Tom's ‘scoundrel’ tendancies, he said: “Those things definitely drew me in, but it was also his innocence—there was comedy in that as well. He'd get himself into these situations and he realize that they were happening until he was in them. He's very naive and very innocent, which I found funny.”

The ensemble cast features a who's who of British acting icons, from Hannah Waddingham as Lady Bellaston to Bridgerton's James Fleet as the loveable Squire Allworthy. Shirley Henderson also stars.

Who created Tom Jones?

Produced by the team behind Poldark and The Serpent, the show was directed by Georgia Parris and written by Gwyneth Hughes.

She commented: “Tom Jones is the mother of all rom-coms and isn't that just what we all need after the last couple of years of misery? It's a story where the sun barely stops shining, where love conquers all, and at its warm heart stand a pair of young sweethearts everyone can root for. Tom and Sophia overcome enormous obstacles before finding their way home and to each other. This is a classic adaptation with a wise soul and a great big smile on its face.”

Is there a trailer for Tom Jones?

There is! Enjoy all the Regency-era drama in the clip below:

When is the release date for Tom Jones?

The show has been streaming exclusively on ITVX from 4 May.

How many episodes are in Tom Jones?

The mini-series features just four episodes.

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