Dominic West and Ruth Wilson in The Affair
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The Affair: Dominic West and Ruth Wilson’s racy ‘masterpiece’ TV show is finally free to stream

The first episode is airing on ITV tonight

The Affair, the acclaimed and steamy drama starring Ruth Wilson and Dominic West, is returning to TV — and for the first time you’ll be able to watch it completely free.

Many viewers use ITVX in the same way they use BBC iPlayer. If you miss an episode of something on ITV, it’s where you go to catch up.

But the platform also has a growing catalogue of dramas that didn’t originally air on ITV at all. Alongside original series, ITVX has been adding major international titles to its library.

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Its latest acquisition is a big one: The Affair, the award-winning drama that many viewers have called a “masterpiece”.

Ruth Wilson and Dominic West in water in The Affair
The Affair is a must-watch (Credit: ITV)

What is The Affair about?

The Affair focuses — unsurprisingly — on an affair.

The series follows Alison, a young married waitress working at a diner in the Hamptons who is trying to rebuild her life after a personal tragedy.

Her husband, Cole, is struggling to hold everything together, including their relationship and the family ranch that is facing financial difficulties.

Things become far more complicated when Alison meets Noah, a New York public school teacher and aspiring novelist who is spending the summer in the Hamptons with his family.

Noah is also married. His wife, Helen, is his college sweetheart and the mother of his four children.

The series explores how their relationship unfolds and how it impacts the lives of everyone around them.

The drama was created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi. Treem previously worked as an executive producer on House of Cards, while Levi also created the original version of Scenes from a Marriage.

Dominic West and Maura Tierney in The Affair
The Affair will be free to stream (Credit: Showtime)

How to watch The Affair

Seasons 1–3 of The Affair are available to stream on ITVX for free from Friday, March 13.

The first episode will also air on ITV1 at 9pm on the same day.

It’s not yet clear whether additional episodes will be broadcast on ITV1, but the rest of the available seasons can be streamed on ITVX whenever you like.

In a statement announcing the release, ITV said bringing the series to the platform would allow UK viewers to experience the full scope of the drama — “from the early romantic entanglements to the darker revelations that follow.”

The series originally premiered on Showtime in the United States before being acquired by Sky in the UK, where it aired on Sky Atlantic throughout its five-season run.

Joshua Jackson, Ruth Wilson, Dominic West, and Maura Tierney in The Affair
The Affair has an incredible cast (Credit: Showtime)

Who’s in The Affair cast?

Ruth Wilson plays Alison in The Affair, starring alongside Dominic West as Noah.

Wilson is widely known for her performance as Alice Morgan in Luther, as well as roles in Mrs Wilson and His Dark Materials.

West has appeared in numerous acclaimed series, including The Wire as Jimmy McNulty and The Crown as Prince Charles.

The cast also includes:

  • Maura Tierney (ER, Law & Order) as Helen
  • Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek, Fringe) as Cole
  • Julia Goldani Telles (The Girlfriend Experience) as Whitney
  • Jake Siciliano (Shame) as Martin
  • Victor Williams (The King of Queens) as Detective Jeffries
  • John Doman (Oz, ER) as Bruce
  • Kathleen Chalfant (House of Cards) as Margaret Butler
Ruth Wilson and Dominic West in The Affair
Have you watched The Affair? (Credit: Showtime)

How many episodes?

There are 53 episodes of The Affair across five seasons, although viewers won’t be able to watch all of them immediately.

Only the first three seasons are currently arriving on ITVX.

According to ITV, season 4 will be added later this summer, with season 5 expected to follow in 2027.

That still leaves 32 episodes available to stream right away, each running at roughly an hour long.

Is The Affair worth watching?

Yes — The Affair is widely regarded as one of the most compelling relationship dramas of the past decade.

Across its five seasons, the show holds an average Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%, with its first season reaching 91%.

The series also received major awards recognition. Ruth Wilson and Maura Tierney both won Golden Globes, while the show itself won the award for Best Television Drama.

Critics have praised the series for its innovative storytelling approach, complex characters, and its exploration of how memory, perception, and betrayal shape relationships.

Read more: The best films on ITVX you can stream for free right now

The Affair is available to stream on ITVX now.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPTtrScW3-E

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Cameron Frew
TV Guides Editor

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