New BBC Adaptation of Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Announced
An adaptation of the bestselling novel The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole has been announced for the BBC, with a creative team led by One Day author David Nicholls.
The book tells the story of an awkward boy entering his teens before the advent of mobile phones and social media, who writes a diary about his spots, his parents’ divorce, the torment of first love, and the fact that he’s never seen a female nipple. It’s set in the early 1980s in Britain, with historic events such as Margaret Thatcher’s rule, the Falklands War, and the marriage of Prince Charles to Diana covered as part of the story. There is currently a national casting search in place for the lead role.
There is a list of exciting names joining Nicholls as part of the creative team, such as Caitlin Moran and Caroline Moran (Raised By Wolves), Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor (Everyone Else Burns), and Jack Rooke (Big Boys), so it promises to be a great project to follow. The 10-part show will come from The Outlaws producer Big Talk Studios and looks to be the BBC’s next big adaptation of an iconic British work. They have recently made Lord of the Flies and The Famous Five to positive reviews.
Nicholls said, “I happen to be just a little older than Adrian and have adored this book since reading it on publication. It’s a classic piece of comic writing and an incredible piece of ventriloquism on Sue Townsend’s part – how did she know? Adapting Adrian for the screen is an absolute pleasure.”
Big Talk boss Kenton Allen added: “As a proud state-educated Midlands boy myself, I recognised so much of my own upbringing in Sue Townsend’s classic novels and David Nicholls’ beautifully observed adaptation of them – the humour, the heartbreak, the quiet heroism of ordinary lives.”
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ is a Big Talk production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. The series was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. The director is Alex Winckler (Somewhere Boy, Mary and George), and the producer is Charlotte Robinson (A Thousand Blows). The executive producers are Allen and Luke Alkin for Big Talk and Nicholls. The estate of Townsend is represented by Jane Villiers at Sayle Screen. Big Talk is part of ITV Studios. The Secret Diary book was previously made into an ITV TV show starring Gian Sammarco as the titular character and featuring Julie Walters, Stephen Moore, and Beryl Reid.
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