A writing team led by the One Day author, David Nicholls, and that includes Caitlin Moran is bringing Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ to the small screen in a 10-part BBC One adaptation of the classic tale of teenage life in British suburbia.
Nicholls, who described the book as “a classic piece of comic writing and an incredible piece of ventriloquism on Sue Townsend’s part”, will adapt the book that produced one of the best-known literary creations of the 1980s.
Known for Mole’s comically dramatic assessments of his life in a Midlands cul-de-sac – “I feel like a character in a Russian novel half the time” – the book sold 20m copies worldwide and was translated into 30 languages.
A nationwide casting search is underway for the lead, 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 and the torment of first love. In the background is early-1980s Britain, with historic events such as Margaret Thatcher’s rule, the Falklands War and the marriage of Prince Charles to Diana covered off.
The 10-part show comes from The Outlaws producer Big Talk Studios and represents the BBC’s next big adaptation of an iconic British work, having also made Lord of the Flies and The Famous Five of late. Nicholls’ novel One Day was recently adapted for Netflix to acclaim but with Adrian Mole here he is taking on the role of adapter.
Despite Mole first appearing four decades ago, the character’s influence continues to be felt. Townsend, who died in 2014, said the character “wouldn’t be using Twitter to memorialise his life” in the age of social media because “his thoughts and diary were very much private”.
The BBC’s director of drama, Lindsay Salt, said: “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.”