'We don't trust each other'

Jack Davenport and Stephen Moyer head the cast of The Forsytes, a new TV adaptation of the classic family saga

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Jack Davenport relished the challenge of stepping into The Forsytes, the grand TV revival of John Galsworthy's epic novels.

The 52-year-old wasn't even born when the original 1967 TV adaptation became a phenomenon, but he's well aware of its cultural weight.

"At the time, it was the biggest thing in the history of television," Jack says. "Everyone likes watching shows about miserable rich people trying to kill each other."

In 5's lavish new version, Jack plays James Forsyte - a man driven by ambition, resentment and a sense of injustice. Forever in the shadow of his elder brother Jolyon Forsyte Sr, James is consumed by envy and frustration.

"James is filled with resentment and bitterness at the role life has conferred upon him," Jack says. "He's the second-born son and he hates that. He feels that he's better at the job than his brother and that his own son, Soames, is far more suited to taking the company than Jolyon Jr is."

Joining Jack is Danny Griffin, who plays Jolyon Jr. The series opens with Jolyon Jr standing nervously at the altar next to his new bride Frances, portrayed by Tuppence Middleton. The marriage cements the family's elite status but, a decade later, Jolyon Jr faces fresh challenges at the family firm.