Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen have been announced as the leads in the upcoming BBC adaptation of David Nicholls' best-selling novel You Are Here. Nicholls, the author of One Day, described the duo as his 'dream casting'.
Foy, known for playing Queen Elizabeth II in the early series of Netflix's The Crown, will play Marnie, while Macfadyen, who starred as Tom Wambsgans in HBO's Succession, will play Michael. The story follows two middle-aged singles thrown together by a mutual friend on a coast-to-coast walk across the English countryside.
Adaptation Details
The eight-part series, written by Nicholls himself, will be directed by Lenny Abrahamson, known for Normal People. The BBC and Starz are co-producing the adaptation. Filming is set to take place in the Lake District and around Manchester, along the Coast to Coast walking trail from the Lake District to Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire.
Author and Director Reactions
Nicholls said he was 'delighted' to work on the adaptation and admired Abrahamson's work. He added: '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.'
Abrahamson commented: '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.'
Other Voices
Element Pictures' executive producer Ed Guiney said the drama 'feels to us like a drama the world needs right now – life-affirming, positive, funny and full of charm'. BBC's director of drama Lindsay Salt called the book 'packed full of charm, humour, heartache and joy' and said viewers 'are in for a treat'.
Nicholls' Previous Adaptations
The novel You Are Here was released in 2024. A spokesperson for the BBC described the story as being 'about finding a connection when you least expect it and overcoming the obstacles of midlife'. Nicholls also shared on Instagram that the adaptation was challenging due to much unexpressed emotion in the book, but praised the actors. His earlier novel One Day saw a 2011 film adaptation starring Anne Hathaway and a 2024 Netflix series starring Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod. Other adaptations include Starter for Ten (2006 film with James McAvoy) and Us (2020 TV series with Tom Hollander).
