Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen to Lead BBC and Starz Adaptation of David Nicholls’ 'You Are Here'
Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen will lead the BBC and Starz Adaptation of David Nicholls’ 'You Are Here', it was announced today.
Two of Britain’s most acclaimed actors are heading into the English countryside for a grand romantic drama. The BBC and Starz have officially greenlit You Are Here, an eight-part series adapting David Nicholls’ best-selling romance novel.
The project brings together powerhouse talent both in front of and behind the camera, promising an intimate, witty, and deeply emotional look at love in midlife.
Star-Studded Leads: Emmy winners Claire Foy (The Crown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) will star as Marnie and Michael.
Creative Heavyweights: Novelist David Nicholls (One Day) is penning the eight-episode script, with Oscar nominee Lenny Abrahamson (Normal People, Room) directing.
Production Powerhouses: Produced by Fremantle’s Element Pictures (Poor Things, Normal People) in partnership with BBC Drama and Starz.
Picturesque Settings: Filming will take place across Manchester and the Lake District, following the iconic Coast to Coast walking route to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.
An Unexpected Journey Across Northern England
You Are Here tells an honest, tender, and humorous story about navigating loneliness, midlife hurdles, and the terrifying thrill of new love.
When a mutual friend throws them together, Marnie and Michael unexpectedly find themselves embarking on an epic, multi-day trek across the English countryside.
Despite the odds—and plenty of classic British weather—the pair end up on the brink of a life-changing relationship that neither was looking for, but which might be precisely what both need.
What the Cast and Creators Have to Say
The team behind the upcoming adaptation shared their excitement about bringing the novel to life:
David Nicholls says: “I’m so delighted to be working on You Are Here with Element, the BBC, Starz and Lenny, whose work I’ve admired for many years. And Matthew and Claire are both just dream casting, wonderful in comedy and drama, so detailed and thoughtful and sympathetic. The intention with the novel was to write a close-up study of a relationship, but set against this magnificent landscape, and that’s our ambition here too; to make something both intimate and epic, funny and dramatic, a romantic comedy with real emotion. We can’t wait to bring Marnie and Michael’s journey to the screen.”
Lenny Abrahamson says: “As a huge admirer of David’s writing, I’m delighted to be collaborating with him to bring You Are Here to the screen. The novel is such a beautiful love story – funny, profound and ultimately deeply hopeful. I’m also extremely excited to have Claire and Matthew, two actors I hugely admire, playing Michael and Marnie.”
Ed Guiney, executive producer, Element Pictures, says: “We are so delighted to be collaborating with David Nicholls and Lenny Abrahamson - two of the most talented creators working today - on the television adaptation of David’s gorgeous book, backed by the brilliant teams at BBC Drama and Starz. We’re also very excited to be working with our absolute dream cast in Matthew and Claire. You Are Here feels to us like a drama the world needs right now - life affirming, positive, funny and full of charm.”
Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama, says: “Like countless others, I loved this book, packed full of charm, humour, heartache and joy. The combination of David’s wonderful scripts, Lenny back directing on the BBC, Element Pictures producing, and Claire and Mathew leading our cast is a real gift. I can’t wait for Marnie and Michael to spring off the page and onto the screen. BBC viewers are in for a treat.”
Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming, STARZ, says: “‘You Are Here’ is disarming, sly and deeply romantic. It captures something true and aching about the way we love now. Together with our partners at the BBC, we are thrilled to be working with the dream team of David, Lenny, Claire, Matthew and Element Pictures to bring this beautiful love story to life. It’s a perfect fit for our STARZ audience.”
Production & Release Details
With Element Pictures producing and filming taking place in Manchester and the Lake District, You Are Here is set to be one of the most anticipated UK TV adaptations on the horizon. The series will air on the BBC in the UK and stream on Starz internationally.
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