While action hero springs to mind when you think of Tom Hardy, back in 2009, he famously starred in an adaptation of Wuthering Heights, playing tragic lover Heathcliff.

The mini-series, which aired over two episodes on ITV, has come back to the public consciousness after the classic Emily Brontë novel was adapted for the screen once again, this time starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

However, if you’re in the mood for Tom’s portrayal of the classic literary character, the series is still available to stream on ITVX. However, if you don’t have an ITV account, then both episodes can also be watched on Apple TV+.

The series was incredibly popular when it first aired, with some fans even calling the adaptation “perfect” due to the incredible chemistry with his co-star Charlotte Riley, who is now his wife.

Reviews

While many adaptations of Wuthering Heights have divided fans, Tom Hardy’s version seems to attract universal praise. One viewer commented: “The score, the cinematography, the secondary characters, everything is perfect. It may not be for everyone, but this adaptation is one that does the novel justice.”

Meanwhile, a second penned: “Not an easy movie to watch in the sense that the chemistry is so good, that it pains you, as the movie viewer, to see the ultimate outcome, but nonetheless a great movie and one to see for Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley fans,” while a third noted: “I loved this version. Tom Hardy is a genius, and his Heathcliff has stayed with me long after the film finished. Charlotte Riley is also very good, as are the other cast members.”

Charlotte Riley with a white horse in a still from Wuthering Heights© Alamy Stock Photo
The series was hailed by fans

A fourth added: “Being somewhat (!) obsessed with the novel, I’ve watched every adaptation of it going and this is undoubtedly my favourite. It fully captures the darkness and moodiness of the novel and the almost painful love between Cathy and Heathcliff.”

However, John Crace in the Guardian opined that the mini-series only lasting for two episodes was to its detriment. “Part of the problem may be that everyone is struggling to cram too much into too little,” he wrote. “We all know money’s tight these days, but trying to squeeze Wuthering Heights into two 75-minute episodes is a big ask.

Still from Wuthering Heights featuring Tom Payne, Tom Hardy and Rebecca Night in a wedding dress© Alamy Stock Photo
One critic worried about the show’s length

“By my reckoning, we’re only up to chapter 10, so how they’ll manage the last 24 chapters tonight is anyone’s guess. Still, it’s worth watching to find out as, despite its faults, it’s far less anodyne than many costume dramas.”

Who stars in Wuthering Heights?

Leading the drama as Heathcliff is Tom Hardy (Venom), while the role of Catherine ‘Cathy’ Earnshaw is played by Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders). Tom and Charlotte met for the first time while filming the series, and two years later, Tom proposed to his partner, with the pair marrying in 2014.

Tom Hardy and Rosalind Halstead walking with a horse in a still from Wuthering Heights© Alamy Stock Photo
Tom starred alongside the likes of Charlotte Riley and Rosalind Halstead

Also starring in the mini-series were Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean), Burn Gorman (Torchwood), Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) and Rosalind Halstead (Andor).