Conversations with Friends: Everything we know about the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s debut novel

Television adaptation of Rooney’s debut novel was announced last year and is slated for release in 2022

The BBC has released a new image of actor Allison Oliver from the forthcoming television adaption of Sally Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends.

The channel announced the TV adaption last year, following the success of Normal People which became BBC’s most streamed series in 2020. At the time, it was revealed that Conversations with Friends will have a total of 12 episodes.

On 19 December, BBC unveiled its scheduled programming for 2022, including Conversations with Friends, The Tourist starring Jamie Dornan, drama A Very British Scandal starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany, and the final season of Peaky Blinders.

Rooney’s 2017 novel follows the story of two best friends – intellectual Frances and outgoing Bobbi – who develop a close but strange relationship with an older, married couple, Nick and Melissa.

In addition to Irish newcomer Oliver, who plays the role of cerebral 21-year-old Frances, the series will star American Honey actor Sasha Lane as Frances’ former partner-turned-friend Bobbi, Joe Alwyn (Harriet) as Nick, and Jemima Kirke (Girls ) as Melissa. The cast of Conversations with Friends was confirmed in February this year.

Conversations with Friends will also be directed by filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson, who adapted Rooney’s Normal People for television, with newcomers Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal in lead roles.

Abrahamson has previously said he was “excited” to be collaborating with “four such superb actors” to bring Rooney’s novel to life on-screen.

He will also executive produce Conversations with Friends. The series writers include Normal People screenwriter Alice Birch, Mark O’Halloran (Rialto), Meadhbh McHugh (Asking For It) and Susan Soon He Stanton (Succession).

The book’s bestselling author Rooney is also working on the show as one of its executive producers

A release date for Conversations with Friends has yet to be announced.

The show will be available for streaming on Hulu in the US and on BBC One in the UK.