Michaela Coel to Create and Star in BBC, HBO Series ‘First Day on Earth’

Aug. 19 (UPI) — Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You creator and star Michaela Coel has unveiled an exciting new series with BBC and HBO.

BBC announced in a press release Monday that Coel, 36, will create, write, star in, and executive produce the original drama First Day on Earth. The show is co-produced with HBO and in association with A24.

First Day on Earth centers on Henri (Coel), a British novelist feeling stuck in her work and personal life. With her career at a standstill and her relationship going nowhere, Henri takes up a job offer for a film project in Ghana, the homeland of her parents and where her estranged father resides.

Upon arriving in Ghana, Henri finds that neither the job nor her father meet her expectations. The official synopsis highlights that Henri must navigate danger and hypocrisy, make new friends, lose her illusions, and rebuild her identity—an odyssey that could either make her stronger or break her.

Coel’s previous works, Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You, have aired on E4, BBC One, and HBO, and are available to stream on Max.

“I am delighted to be working with VAL, the BBC and HBO again, and to partner with A24; thanks to all of their combined taste, care and expertise, I feel our show is in great hands. The process of creating FDOE thus far has been a beautifully intimate experience, and I am excited to embark on the next phase to eventually offer this as another televisual gift for anyone willing to accompany Henri on what will be a wild odyssey!” Coel shared.

Director of BBC drama Lindsay Salt expressed her admiration for Coel’s talent and work. “Michaela is one of those exceptional talents whose work I have long admired. I May Destroy You is one of the reasons I wanted to join the BBC! In First Day on Earth, Michaela has created another unmissable series—truly original, heartfelt, hilarious, poetic storytelling and told in a way that only Michaela can. I can’t wait for everyone to see it,” Salt said.

The series is set to span ten episodes, with filming scheduled to begin in 2025.

Source: UPI