One of Britain's most beloved literary characters is making a triumphant return to television screens, with the BBC announcing a major new adaptation of Sue Townsend's classic novel The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾.
Prestigious Writing Team Assembled
Leading the creative charge is acclaimed author David Nicholls, whose novel One Day became a global phenomenon. He will head a writing team that includes celebrated journalist and author Caitlin Moran, her sister Caroline Moran, comedian Jack Rooke from Big Boy, and the writing duo behind Channel 4's Everyone Else Burns, Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor.
Nicholls expressed his admiration for Townsend's original work, describing the 1982 novel as "a classic piece of comic writing and an incredible piece of ventriloquism on Sue Townsend's part". The adaptation will consist of 10 episodes for BBC One, promising to bring Adrian's uniquely dramatic view of suburban life to a new generation.
The Enduring Legacy of Adrian Mole
First published in 1982, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ became an instant cultural phenomenon, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and being translated into 30 different languages. The book follows the comically earnest observations of its teenage protagonist as he navigates spots, parental divorce, and the torment of first love from his Midlands home.
The BBC highlighted Adrian's distinctive voice in their announcement, noting: "With only a multi-coloured ballpoint pen as his guide, Adrian worries about his spots, his parents' divorce, the torment of first love and the fact he's never seen a female nipple."
This won't be the first time Adrian Mole has appeared on screen. In 1985, Thames Television produced an adaptation starring Gian Sammarco as Adrian, with Julie Walters playing his mother Pauline. A second series based on Townsend's follow-up novel, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, aired in 1987.
Search for a New Adrian Begins
Production company Big Talk Studios, known for shows including Ludwig and The Outlaws, will produce the new adaptation for the BBC. In an exciting development for aspiring young actors, producers have announced that a nationwide search is currently underway to find the perfect Adrian for this new interpretation.
Lindsay Salt, the BBC's director of drama, emphasised the timeless quality of Townsend's creation: "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole is one of those rare, seminal stories that has captivated generation after generation."
She added: "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."
Despite the character first appearing over four decades ago, Townsend herself noted before her death in 2014 that Adrian wouldn't have embraced modern social media, stating he "wouldn't be using Twitter to memorialise his life" because "his thoughts and diary were very much private".
