BRITBOX Announces New Series Chocolate Wars(WT) Inspired by Deborah Cadbury's Book & The True Story of the Cadbury Family

 The six-part series is produced by Fable Pictures and in association with Alfresco Pictures

Today, BritBox announced the new Original drama Chocolate Wars (WT), a commission with UKTV and Sony Pictures Television.

Inspired by Deborah Cadbury’s book and the true story of the Cadbury family, the period drama is produced by Fable Pictures, in association with Alfresco Pictures, and written by Chloë Mi Lin Ewart (All Creatures Great and Small, Beyond Paradise). The series will premiere on BritBox in 2027.

Chocolate Wars is a warm-hearted family drama following the visionary Cadbury family, the underdogs of the cocoa world, on their journey towards creating the world-famous Cadbury’s chocolate bar.

In 1860s, Birmingham, when chocolate as we know it doesn’t yet exist, two very different brothers, Richard and George Cadbury, found themselves in charge of their family’s failing cocoa business. Between them, they have the radical genius and burning ambition to turn Cadbury's into one of the world’s most beloved confectioners. But first, they must learn to trust and rely on each other. And to stop bickering for long enough to actually invent some chocolate! Their sister Maria is navigating her own role within the family and the business, but things become even more complicated when she falls in love with Cadbury’s biggest rival, and is forced to question where her true loyalties really lie. Infused with historical delights and magical invention, Chocolate Wars is about how we build, break and rebuild the bonds of family - and how the sweetest things in life are rarely simple.

The series (6x60’) is produced by Fable Pictures in association with Alfresco Pictures. Executive producers include Faye Ward, Freddie Highmore, Hannah Price and Claire Londy, with Jess O’Riordan and Jon Farrar executive producing for BritBox and Helen Perry for UKTV.

Directors for the series will be Tom McKay (After the Flood, Ten Pound Poms) and Jill Robertson (Ludwig, The Diplomat), with Hannah Farrell from Fable Pictures as series producer. Chloë Mi Lin Ewart leads the writing team, alongside Eve Hedderwick Turner and Karim Khan.

Casting is now underway, with filming in Birmingham set to begin this Summer. Sony Pictures Television will handle worldwide sales as international distributor, with Creative UK providing regional support through the ERDF-funded West Midlands Production Fund.

QUOTE:

Jess O’Riordan, Commissioning Executive and Executive Producer, BritBox: “Full of warmth and charm, this true story brings the Cadbury family story to life with depth and imagination. We’re excited to partner with UKTV, Sony Pictures Television and Fable Pictures on a period drama we know BritBox audiences will truly savour.”

As a global distributor, Sony Pictures Television will introduce Chocolate Wars (w/t) to international clients at the studio’s 2026 L.A. Screenings Showcase. The annual event, which takes place at the historic Sony Pictures Lot in Culver City, Los Angeles, is happening this Sunday, May 17.

About BritBox

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television, offering an unmatched collection of expertly curated entertainment. From critically acclaimed dramas and mysteries to comedies, documentaries, and lifestyle programming, BritBox invites audiences to step out of their everyday and into a world of exceptional British storytelling. Launched in 2017 and now owned by BBC Studios, BritBox is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Nordics. For more, visit britbox.com, or find the BritBox app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

About Fable Pictures

Fable Pictures, established in 2016 with Sony Pictures Television's backing, is a multi-award-winning film and television production company primarily focused on female-driven stories.

On television, Fable produced MR LOVERMAN for BBC One and Britbox, released to critical acclaim in 2024. Adapted from the novel by Bernardine Evaristo, written by Nathaniel Price, directed by Hong Khaou and starring Lennie James, Sharon D Clarke, and Ariyon Bakare, it won two BAFTAs for the cast and was nominated for a Peabody Award, a GLAAD Media Award and an Independent Spirit Award. Other productions include two seasons of CH4 comedy series HULLRAISERS, starring Leah Brotherhead, Taj Atwal and Sinead Matthews, and ANNE BOLEYN starring Jodie Turner-Smith for Channel 5.

The company’s theatrical feature films include the BAFTA and BIFA winning ROCKS, directed by Sarah Gavron; STAN & OLLIE, starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, and WILD ROSE, starring Academy Award winner Jessie Buckley and Academy Award nominee Julie Walters. The last of these was adapted into a stage musical, premiering at the Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre in 2025 and due to open in New York later this year.