Ncuti Gatwa, Thandiwe Newton, and all-star cast confirmed for Michaela Coel’s much-anticipated I May Destroy You follow-up

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Last year, everyone was excited to hear Michaela Coel was returning to television. She announced ‘First Day on Earth,’ a new show where she’d not only star, but also be the creative force behind it as a writer and executive producer.

The cast for the new BBC/HBO series has been announced, and it’s full of incredibly talented actors! Things are really starting to look promising.

Joining the cast alongside Coel are Thandiwe Newton, the award-winning actress, playing Anya; Maxine Peake (known for ‘I Swear’) as Helen; Danny Sapani, famous for his role in ‘Halo,’ as Ernest; and Ncuti Gatwa, from ‘Doctor Who,’ as Darren.

We don’t yet know exactly what roles these talented actors will play in First Day on Earth – details about their characters are still being kept secret. However, early signs suggest it’s going to be a compelling and unmissable drama.

This new 10-episode series is a collaboration with A24, and considering the quality of their other TV shows like Euphoria, Beef, and Dreaming Whilst Black, it promises to be excellent.

Production is underway on the new series, co-directed by Sam Miller, known for ‘I May Destroy You.’ The show stars Michaela Coel as Henri, a British-Ghanaian author who journeys to Ghana – her parents’ home country – in search of inspiration and purpose.

The new series follows Henri as she escapes everything – her own issues, her current life, her relationship, and even a strange encounter at a book signing. She ends up in Ghana, the country where her family originated, and quickly finds herself in a completely unfamiliar environment.

As Henri makes new friends and experiences happiness, she also uncovers secrets, faces dishonesty, and deals with difficult truths and denial. This leads her to deeply question who she is, where she comes from, and her family’s history.

We don’t yet know the specific roles Newton, Peake, Sapani, and Gatwa will play, but we can expect excellent performances from them all. Newton, in particular, has a diverse acting background, with notable TV appearances in shows like Westworld, ER, Line of Duty, and a recent guest spot on Wednesday.

Ncuti Gatwa is already a familiar face to many, having recently played the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who before departing the series last year – a decision he found difficult to make. He’s also well-known for his work in Sex Education, and has appeared in films like Barbie and The Roses.

Daniel Peake is a familiar face on British television, with memorable appearances in shows like Shameless, Silk, Black Mirror, and The Village. He recently starred in both Say Nothing and I Swear. Meanwhile, Winston Sapani has appeared in films including Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, and on TV in series such as Penny Dreadful, Harlots, Killing Eve, Halo, and The Diplomat.

When the show was first announced last year, it was described like this: Henri, a British novelist, is facing a slump – she’s not getting any work and her relationship is stalled. She jumps at the opportunity to work on a film in Ghana, the country where her parents come from and where her distant father lives, hoping to reconnect with both.

When Henri arrives, things don’t go as planned with either the job or her father. She quickly finds herself facing danger and deceit, making new friends, shedding old beliefs, and discovering who she truly is. This journey could make her stronger, but it also carries the risk of falling apart.

When the series was announced, Michaela Coel expressed her excitement about collaborating once more with VAL, the BBC, and HBO, and about the new partnership with A24. She feels confident the show is in good hands thanks to the combined talent and dedication of everyone involved.

Developing FDOE has been a deeply personal and rewarding journey so far, and I’m thrilled to move forward with the next steps. I hope to eventually share it as a captivating television experience, inviting viewers to join Henri on an unpredictable adventure!

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First Day on Earth will be coming to BBC One and iPlayer.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a BA in English Literature.

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2026-02-12 19:35