The Darling Buds of May Cast

Before binge-watching was a thing, there was The Darling Buds of May – a sun-drenched British comedy-drama about the Larkin family living their best life in 1950s rural Kent.
First broadcast on ITV from 1991 to 1993, the series turned a warm little H.E. Bates novel into a feel-good TV classic and quietly launched the career of a future Hollywood star (hi, Catherine Zeta-Jones).

If you’re here, you’re probably trying to remember who played whom, which twin was which, and why there seemed to be so many Larkin children.
This guide walks through the full The Darling Buds of May cast – the main stars, the Larkin kids, and the memorable villagers – with a little bit of context about what made each role special.

About The Darling Buds of May

A quick trip back to 1950s Kent

The series is set in post-war 1950s Kent, where the Larkin family run their farm and live in a kind of chaotic paradise: big Sunday lunches, constant visitors, slightly questionable tax arrangements, and an endless supply of
sunshine and strawberries. The show ran for three series and 20 episodes, including Christmas specials, and quickly became one of ITV’s most beloved family dramas.

Why the cast mattered so much

The writing is charming, but it’s the cast that really sells the Larkins’ world. The chemistry between Pop and Ma, the wide-eyed tax inspector Charley, Mariette’s mix of glamour and mischief, and a supporting cast of
vicars, shopkeepers, and retired army men all combine to create a village you actually want to move to.
Let’s meet everyone properly.

Main Cast of The Darling Buds of May

David Jason as Pop Larkin

Sidney Charles “Pop” Larkin is the head of the family – though “head” feels a bit too formal for a man who prefers handshakes, hugs, and the occasional creative approach to taxes. Pop is a farmer, a wheeler-dealer, and a
hopeless romantic when it comes to his land and his family.

Pop is played by David Jason, already famous for Only Fools and Horses before he ever set foot in the Kentish countryside. His performance balances roguish charm with genuine warmth, which helped
make the show appealing to a wide audience, from kids who loved the chaos to adults who appreciated Pop’s surprisingly savvy approach to life.

Pam Ferris as Ma Larkin

Florence Daisy “Ma” Larkin is the emotional core of the family. She cooks enormous feasts, keeps the household running (well, sort of), and manages to be both practical and endlessly optimistic.

Pam Ferris brings Ma to life with a mix of motherly warmth and booming laughter. Later, Ferris would play very different roles – like the terrifying Miss Trunchbull in Matilda – but here she’s the
ultimate cozy TV mom: flour on her apron, a baby on her hip, and absolutely no time for negativity.

Catherine Zeta-Jones as Mariette Larkin

Mariette is Pop and Ma’s eldest daughter, and arguably the breakout character of the show. Smart, flirtatious, and fiercely independent, Mariette catches the eye of the young tax inspector Charley and quietly steals the
hearts of viewers at the same time.

Catherine Zeta-Jones was at the beginning of her career when she appeared in The Darling Buds of May, but her screen presence is already unmistakable. The series helped launch her into wider
recognition, long before The Mask of Zorro and Chicago turned her into an international star.

Philip Franks as Cedric “Charley” Charlton

Cedric “Charley” Charlton arrives as a nervous tax inspector and slowly becomes one of the family. Initially horrified by the Larkins’ unconventional bookkeeping, he’s quickly distracted by Mariette, hearty meals, and the
discovery that life can be about more than balance sheets.

Philip Franks gives Charley a delightful mix of awkwardness and sincerity. His transformation from city bureaucrat to full-on Larkin is one of the show’s sweetest arcs – especially once he marries Mariette
and becomes a father himself.

The Larkin Children and Family Members

Counting the Larkin kids can feel like doing mental gymnastics after a big Sunday roast. Thankfully, the series kept track, and so can we.

Primrose Larkin – Julie Stichbury & Abigail Rokison

Primrose is one of the older Larkin daughters, dreamy and romantic with a stubborn streak. Interestingly, she was played by two different actresses: Julie Stichbury in the early episodes of the first
series and Abigail Rokison from the first Christmas special onward. The switch is one of those very 1990s TV things – noticeable, but quickly accepted once the character’s personality remains consistent.

Montgomery “Monty” Larkin – Ian Tucker

Ian Tucker plays Monty, an older Larkin son who often appears in the background of scenes, getting into mischief, helping out on the farm, or just existing as living proof that this is a very big family.
He adds to the feeling that there’s always someone racing through the yard or sneaking extra dessert.

Petunia and Zinnia Larkin – Christina & Katherine Giles

The twins Petunia and Zinnia are played by real-life sisters Christina Giles and Katherine Giles. They’re almost always seen together – running across fields, helping Ma, or watching the
drama unfold with wide eyes. In real life, the actresses later stepped away from acting; one became a doctor, the other a journalist, which feels very in character for clever Larkin kids growing up and taking on the world.

Victoria Larkin – Stephanie Ralph

Stephanie Ralph appears as Victoria, the youngest Larkin daughter. She’s sweet, observant, and often caught between the older kids’ adventures and the adults’ big life decisions. Victoria shows how the
Larkin home is a place where even the youngest children are welcomed into the fun rather than shooed out of the room.

Oscar Larkin – Ross Marriott

Ross Marriott plays Oscar, a younger Larkin son who appears in multiple episodes. He’s the kind of character who might not have huge standalone storylines but makes the world feel full and lived-in –
exactly what you want from a bustling family farm show.

John Marlborough Churchill Blenheim Charlton – Daisy-May Bates

Yes, that is a real character name, and yes, it’s delightfully over the top. John Blenheim is the son of Mariette and Charley, and although the character is male, he’s played by Daisy-May Bates, the
granddaughter of author H.E. Bates. That casting choice is a lovely little full-circle nod to the original novels.

Recurring Characters and Village Regulars

The Darling Buds of May wouldn’t be half as fun without its supporting cast of villagers, each of whom adds a different flavor to the show’s cozy world.

Rachel Bell as Edith Pilchester

Edith Pilchester, played by Rachel Bell, is a local spinster who gradually falls under the Larkins’ spell. She moves from slightly uptight and reserved to very much part of the extended family – proof that
nobody can resist Pop and Ma’s hospitality for long.

Moray Watson as “The Brigadier”

Moray Watson plays a retired army officer known as the Brigadier. He brings a touch of old-school formality to the village, but he’s also drawn into the Larkins’ joyful chaos. His scenes help balance the
show’s sentimental tone with a bit of dry British wit.

Kika Mirylees as Angela Snow

Kika Mirylees appears as Angela Snow, a local woman who weaves in and out of different storylines. She represents the wider community around the farm – neighbors who gossip, flirt, help out, and
occasionally cause trouble.

Other familiar faces

The series also features Martyn Read as Sergeant Wilson, Tyler Butterworth as Reverend John Candy, Michael Jayston as brewery owner Ernest Bristow,
Carol MacReady as shopkeeper Mrs. Daws, Sheila Burrell as Mrs. Kinthley, and Steven Brand as Tom Sargent, one of Mariette’s early love interests.
Each recurring character adds texture and running jokes that reward regular viewers.

How the Cast Shaped the Show’s Legacy

A breakout role for Catherine Zeta-Jones

While David Jason and Pam Ferris were already established TV names, The Darling Buds of May gave Catherine Zeta-Jones the kind of role that actors dream about: romantic, charismatic, and front-and-center
in some of the series’ most memorable plots. Many retrospectives still highlight the show as a major stepping stone in her path to international stardom.

A comfort watch that still works

Modern audiences discovering the show for the first time often call it “cozy,” “comforting,” or “like a warm blanket in TV form.” That reaction has everything to do with the cast’s performances.
There’s a complete lack of cynicism in how they play their roles – no snark, no winking at the camera, just wholehearted commitment to this generous, chaotic family.

Even decades later, the cast list reads like a who’s-who of British character actors, with plenty of familiar faces for fans of classic UK television. Between the core Larkin family, the kids, and the village regulars,
the ensemble creates a world that still feels surprisingly fresh.

Why Fans Still Love The Darling Buds of May Cast

So why does a 1990s show set in 1950s Kent still show up on “best cozy TV” lists and nostalgia threads? The answer always circles back to the cast:

• They make rural life look irresistible. The Larkins’ world feels abundant – not because they’re rich, but because they’re generous, and the actors lean into that generosity in every scene.
• The chemistry is real. Pop and Ma feel like a long-married couple who still flirt. Mariette and Charley radiate that slightly awkward, very sweet “we’re figuring this out” energy.
• The kids aren’t props. The young actors are given real reactions, real lines, and real screen time, which makes the family feel authentic rather than decorative.
• The villagers are never just punchlines. Even the quirkiest side characters are treated with affection rather than mockery.

Together, the actors and actresses of The Darling Buds of May build a version of 1950s England that’s idealized but never completely unreal. There are disagreements, money worries, and romantic complications –
but there’s also always another meal to share, another laugh to have, and another reason to stay just a bit longer at the Larkin farm.

Experiences and Reflections on The Darling Buds of May Cast

Rewatching the series in the streaming era

Watching The Darling Buds of May today feels very different from seeing it during its original run in the early 1990s. Back then, families would gather at the same time each week,
argue about who got the good spot on the sofa, and collectively drift into the Larkins’ sunny Kent. Now, viewers are more likely to binge several episodes in a row, letting the cast guide them through long, lazy afternoons.

One of the most striking things on rewatch is how confidently the cast settles into their roles from the very first episode. There’s no long, awkward “finding the tone” period.
David Jason and Pam Ferris feel immediately believable as Pop and Ma – their body language, overlapping dialogue, and shared jokes all suggest a long history even before the script fills in the details.
It’s the kind of chemistry that can’t be faked.

Discovering the show through Catherine Zeta-Jones

Many newer viewers find the show by working backwards from Catherine Zeta-Jones’s Hollywood career. They see her in a big musical or a thriller, learn that she once starred in a sunny British period drama,
and go hunting for it. What they usually don’t expect is just how central she is to the series – this isn’t a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her cameo, but a fully realized, charismatic lead performance.

That changes how you experience the cast list as a whole. Instead of just thinking, “Oh, that’s the show with David Jason,” you start to see it as a creative meeting point: a place where a seasoned comedy legend, a
powerhouse character actress, and a rising star all share the same frame. It’s like watching a band just before they get huge – exciting in a way that only really lands in hindsight.

Connecting with the side characters

Another pleasure of revisiting the series is rediscovering how good the supporting cast really is. On first watch, you might focus on Pop, Ma, Mariette, and Charley. On the second or third,
you start noticing how Rachel Bell, Moray Watson, Kika Mirylees, and others bring depth to characters who could’ve easily been flat stereotypes.

Edith Pilchester’s quiet transformation from reserved outsider to honorary Larkin feels surprisingly modern – it’s essentially a story about found family.
The Brigadier’s gruff exterior slowly giving way to genuine affection for the Larkins has its own satisfying emotional arc. These are the kinds of performances that reward patient, attentive viewing and make the village feel like a real community.

Why the cast still resonates with modern viewers

In an era of darker, twist-heavy prestige TV, The Darling Buds of May offers something gentler: conflict without cruelty, humor without meanness, and sentiment without cynicism.
That tone is entirely dependent on how the actors play their roles. It takes real skill to make kindness interesting on screen, and this cast pulls it off.

The show also taps into something timeless: the fantasy of a big, loving, slightly chaotic family where there’s always enough room at the table for one more chair.
Whether you grew up watching the series in the ’90s or discovered it much later, it’s hard not to feel a little tug of envy when Pop throws together a spur-of-the-moment feast and half the village shows up.

Ultimately, the reason people still search for “The Darling Buds of May cast” and “full list of actors and actresses” isn’t just trivia. It’s about reconnecting with a feeling – that brief, golden illusion
that somewhere in the English countryside, the Larkins are still out there: Pop negotiating some improbable deal, Ma pulling another roast out of the oven, Mariette and Charley planning their future, and the rest of the cast
laughing in the sun.