The upcoming six-part television series about the Cadbury family contains a romantic plotline that is entirely invented, the production company has confirmed. The drama, titled The Cadburys, will launch on the free-streaming service U and follows brothers George and Richard Cadbury as they run their family's cocoa business in 1860s Birmingham.
The storyline depicts Maria Cadbury falling in love with Francis Fry, of rival chocolate maker Fry's Chocolate. While this Romeo-and-Juliet-esque subplot may appeal to viewers, producers have admitted there is no historical truth behind it.
Producers admit fictionalised romance
When challenged by BirminghamLive on the validity of the claim, a spokesperson for the production company said: "The Cadburys is inspired by Deborah Cadbury's book Chocolate Wars and draws on the real lives of the Cadbury family."
"As with many period dramas, historical research provides the foundation, while fictional elements help bring the characters and relationships to life for contemporary audiences. While rooted in that history, the drama uses fictionalised elements - such as the plot line between Maria Cadbury & Francis Fry - to explore the pressures of family, faith, ambition and business."
The series, previously announced under the working title Chocolate Wars, is a UKTV commission with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television. It is produced by Fable Pictures in association with Alfresco Pictures and written by Chloë Mi Lin Ewart, known for her work on Curfew, All Creatures Great and Small and Beyond Paradise.
Cast and first-look images revealed
The first-look images show Toby Regbo as George Cadbury, Harry Gilby as Richard Cadbury, Jessica Barden as Maria Cadbury and Pearce Quigley as John Cadbury. The pictures also reveal Joanna Scanlan as Dorothy, Elizabeth's mother, and Mathew Baynton as fellow inventor Joseph Rowntree.
Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning at UKTV, said: "We're excited to reveal the first-look images from The Cadburys, a brilliant new feel-good drama inspired by one of Birmingham's most iconic stories."
"The series showcases the exceptional creative talent, locations and production expertise found across the West Midlands, while bringing a story with deep roots in the region to audiences across the UK and beyond. We're proud to be working with our partners to bring this major new drama to screen and champion the West Midlands as a centre for world-class television production."
Filming complete, launch set for 2027
Filming recently concluded in Birmingham, and the series is set to launch on the free-streaming service U in 2027. The drama charts the Cadbury brothers' ambition to turn their company into one of the world's most beloved confectioners, against the backdrop of 1860s Birmingham.
While the Maria-Fry romance is a fabrication, the series remains rooted in the real history of the Cadbury family, as documented in Deborah Cadbury's book. The producers' statement clarifies that fictional elements are used to bring characters and relationships to life for contemporary audiences, even as the drama explores the pressures of family, faith, ambition and business.
