the larkins© Photo: Rex

The Larkins: Bradley Walsh and Bridgerton star's The Darling Buds of May remake begins filming

The new ITV drama is officially underway!

TV & Film Writer
May 20, 2021

Filming for Bradley Walsh's new ITV drama The Larkins, which is a reboot of the classic nineties series The Darling Buds of May, has begun.

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The six-part series will see The Chase and Breaking Dad star take on the role of Pop Larkin, first made famous by Only Fools and Horses star David Jason

In new photos from set, Bradley could be seen wearing period-appropriate clothing as he filmed scenes alongside Bridgerton actress Sabrina Bartlett, who will play his on-screen daughter.

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The Netflix star, who played Siena Rosso in the period drama, will portray Mariette Larkin in the new series - the very role that catapulted Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, to stardom in the early nineties. 

Joanna Scanlan will play the Larkin matriarch wife Ma, while Grantchester's Tok Stephen has been cast as Cedric 'Charley' Charlton.

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The new series, written by The Durrells' screenwriter Simon Nye, will once again transport viewers to the idyllic world of H.E Bates' 1950s novel and tell the story of the working-class Larkin family led by the golden-hearted wheeler-dealer Pop Larkin.

The synopsis from ITV reads: "Fiercely loyal to each other and their community, each Larkin family member has a strong work ethic, alongside a disinterest in authority.

© Photo: Getty Images

Bradley will take on the role of Pop Larkin in the upcoming drama

"Charley arrives in the village as an unworldly and officious accountant from the city, there to investigate the Larkins' tax affairs. He is soon distracted by the beautiful Mariette, with whom he falls head over heels in love. 

"However, he 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."

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Plans to reboot the series came at the beginning of the year. At the time, Bradley said in a statement: "I'm thrilled to be asked to be part of this much loved and iconic series of stories. The warmth and affection that H. E Bates has generated through his books is so uplifting and I cannot wait to be part of the Larkin family. It'll be a hoot! "

There's no news yet as to when the series will hit screens, but watch this space!

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