‘First Day on Earth‘ has officially started filming, with Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You, Chewing Gum) writing, starring and serving as executive producer on the brand new BBC drama heading to BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
The 10-part series is co-produced by the BBC and HBO, made by Various Artists Limited (Juice, Such Brave Girls) and FALKNA (I May Destroy You), in association with A24. Multi-award-winning Sam Miller (I May Destroy You) will co-direct and also executive produce.
Joining Coel in front of the camera is a heavyweight cast including Thandiwe Newton (Anaconda, God’s Country) as Anya, Maxine Peake (I Swear, Say Nothing) as Helen, Danny Sapani (Halo, Harlots) as Ernest and Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who, Barbie) as Darren.
The series follows British-Ghanaian novelist Henri, played by Coel, who is on the run from herself, her life, her partner, and that weird guy at her book talk. When she finds herself in Ghana, her ancestral homeland, she is immersed in a world both unfamiliar and deeply personal. Surrounded by new friendships, unexpected joy and layered relationships, Henri also uncovers secrets, lies, difficulty and denial, forcing her to confront questions about identity, heritage and family.
Behind the scenes, the executive producers include Coel and Miller alongside Jesse Armstrong (Succession), Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni for Various Artists Limited, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Johann Knobel serves as producer.
Given Coel’s track record of blending razor-sharp character work with emotionally fearless storytelling, expectations will understandably be high for this one. With the added muscle of HBO and A24 involved, this already feels like one of the BBC’s most ambitious upcoming dramas.
‘First Day on Earth‘ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One 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’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss: https://www.geektown.co.uk/nevermiss/
Photos provided by the BBC – L-R: Thandiwe Newton (Image: Liz Collins), Maxine Peake (Image: Craig Fleming), Danny Sapani (Image: Sofie Alex Rumford) and Ncuti Gatwa (Image: Sarah M Lee)
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