The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole casting confirmed for new BBC series with Rivals and Slow Horses stars

by

After initial reports last month, it’s now official: Oliver Savell, known for his role in Changing Ends, will star in the BBC’s upcoming series, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾.

Savell will star as Adrian Mole in the BBC’s new TV series, based on Sue Townsend’s popular novel. Filming has started in Hartlepool.

We’ve gotten our first glimpse of actor Savell in costume, and many other stars have been announced for the nine-episode series, which is scheduled to premiere in 2027.

Lisa McGrillis, known for her role in Rivals, will play the mother of Adrian, named Pauline. Colin Hoult, who appears in Slow Horses, will play Adrian’s father, George.

The film also stars Pam Ferris, known from “Call the Midwife,” as Grandma, Galaxie Clear (“Secret Service”) as Pandora, Alun Armstrong (“After the Flood”) as Bert, Jude Forsey (“Hollyoaks”) as Nigel, Rory Keenan (“The Regime”) as Mr. Lucas, David Wilmot (“Industry”) as Mr. Scruton, and Karl Collins (“Doctor Who”) as Mr. Cherry.

The series features writing from a talented team including David Nicholls, author of ‘One Day’, and the writers of ‘Raised By Wolves’ (Caitlin and Caroline Moran), ‘Everyone Else Burns’ (Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor), and ‘Big Boys’ (Jack Rooke).

Want to see this content?

This page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA. Before it loads, we need your permission because it may use cookies. By selecting ‘Accept and continue,’ you’ll allow reCAPTCHA to work and help keep the site secure.

The series begins on New Year’s Day, 1981, with Adrian starting a humorous diary about growing up as a teenager. Before cell phones and social media existed, he uses a colorful ballpoint pen to document his life, filled with typical teenage concerns like pimples, his parents’ divorce, first crushes, and a certain curiosity about, well, growing up.

This insightful look at British suburban life explores how things have changed and yet remained surprisingly familiar. It’s a classic family story that’s both heartwarming and humorous, but also touches on moments of sadness and reflection.

Sue Townsend first published her book in 1982, and it spawned many sequels over the years. The last book in the series, Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years, came out in 2009.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at the international production company Fremantle. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2026-04-14 11:34