The BBC is cracking open the beloved teen diary once again, commissioning a brand new adaptation of ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾‘ from Big Talk Studios for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Coming as a 10-episode series, the show brings one of Britain’s most recognisable literary misfits back to screens with an impressive writing team and a nationwide search underway for a brand new Adrian.
This new take on ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾’ springs from the pen of David Nicholls (One Day, Us), who serves as lead writer and lifelong fan of Sue Townsend’s iconic creation. He is joined by Caitlin Moran and Caroline Moran (Raised By Wolves), Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor (Everyone Else Burns), and Jack Rooke (Big Boys). The hunt for Adrian himself is being spearheaded by award winning casting director Robert Sterne (The Crown, Game Of Thrones), who is currently searching the nation for the perfect 13-year-old diarist.
Set on New Year’s Day in 1981, the story follows Adrian as he commits his teenage anxiety, family chaos and early romantic misadventures to the pages of his multi coloured biro. In a world without smartphones, social media or the safety net of Google, Adrian frets about his spots, his parents’ impending divorce, his chances with the brilliant Pandora, and the great mystery of the female nipple. All of it unfolds with the charm and exasperation that made Sue Townsend’s books timeless.
Around him, life is no less dramatic. His mum Pauline begins to reckon with a feminist awakening. His dad George, is blindsided by redundancy. Adrian finds himself drawn into the orbit of familiar Mole characters, including Grandma, Bert Baxter, and his treacle-haired beloved Pandora. The result is a warm, witty and quietly poignant snapshot of Britain in the early 80s that still rings painfully true today.
David Nicholls says: “I happen to be just a little older than Adrian and have adored this book since reading it on publication. It is 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.”
Kenton Allen, Executive Producer and CEO of Big Talk Studios, adds: “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. David has once again captured something deeply authentic and universally human, and we are thrilled to be bringing this iconic book and David’s brilliant writing to the screen for generations of Adrian fans new and old.”
Luke Alkin, Executive Producer at Big Talk Studios, says: “Working with David and this wonderful team of writers to adapt this beloved book is a dream come true. Adrian Mole is an iconic British character and it feels like the world needs him now more than ever. The BBC is the perfect home for this new adaptation and we are absolutely delighted to be partnering with them.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, says: “The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole is one of those rare, seminal stories that has captivated generation after generation. David Nicholls has brilliantly distilled the wit, warmth and quiet poignancy of Sue Townsend’s iconic novel, reminding us why Adrian’s voice remains as sharply relevant today as it was in the 1980s. Times may have changed, but the anxieties, ambitions and wonderfully awkward truths at the heart of Adrian’s world are utterly timeless.”
The series is directed by Alex Winckler (Somewhere Boy, Mary and George), produced by Charlotte Robinson (A Thousand Blows), and executive produced by Kenton Allen, Luke Alkin and David Nicholls.
‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾‘ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you will be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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