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Dolly Alderton’s 2017 memoir Everything I Know About Love propelled the British writer and podcast host to a household name—in every household that contained a millennial woman, that is. The book, made up of dating stories, heartbreak and love in the truest of forms—friendship—was passed through circles of women worldwide, who came to love not only Alderton’s writing, but the woman herself. So it’s no surprise that earlier this year, Alderton’s announcement that her first novel was being adapted for the TV was met with fervour.
When she posted the news on Instagram, revealing BBC would be behind the seven-part project, Alderton joked, “And before every boy I dated a decade ago messages me today to breezily ask how I am, it’s semi-fictionalised, so don’t panic fellas.”
As Alderton noted, the series takes the essence of her real-life experiences, as told in Everything I Know About Love, but converts them into a fictionalised story following best friends, Maggie and Birdy. Described by the BBC as being an “unflinching account of surviving your 20s,” the pair are living in a flat-share in London in 2012. There they will navigate bad dates and heartbreak, all while no doubt reminding us of the very questionable fashion choices we were making near a decade ago.
After months of anticipation, BBC One has announced the casting for the series. Emma Appleton (you might recognise her as Princess Renfri in The Witcher or Kelly in End Of The F***ing World) will star as the main character Maggie, based on Alderton herself, while her best friend Birdy will be played by Bel Powley, known for her role in Diary of a Teenage Girl, as well as The Morning Show and The King of Staten Island.
Despite being billed as semi-fictionalised, the official synopsis reads: “Maggie and Birdy, besties since school, finally land in London to live it large, when the unexpected happens – dependable Birdy gets a steady boyfriend,” mirroring a key moment in Alderton’s life (and book) when her best friend Farley gets a steady and serious boyfriend in their mid-20s.
It continues: “A generous, funny, warm-hearted and uplifting Sex & The City for millennials which covers bad dates and squalid flat-shares, heartaches and humiliations, and, most importantly, unbreakable female friendships.”
The series, which will be directed by China Moo-Young, will also include Scottish actress Marli Siu (Our Ladies, Alex Rider) playing Nell, Jordan Peters (Blue Story, Gangs of London) playing Neil and fresh faces, Aliyah Odoffin playing Amara, Connor Finch playing Street, and Ryan Bown as Nathan.
Filming for Everything I Know About Love has begun in Manchester and London, and the series will air in 2022.
Ugh, we can hardly wait.
