BBC Three adapting Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends

BBC Three is adapting Sally Rooney’s 2017 debut novel Conversations with Friends (Faber) into twelve half an hour episodes directed by Oscar-nominated Irish film director Lenny Abrahamson.

Conversations with Friends has been commissioned by BBC drama controller Piers Wenger and BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell. It will be produced by Element Pictures, who also produced Rooney’s Normal People (Faber), and executive produced by Rooney, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Norton, Lenny Abrahamson, Rose Garnett and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC.

It follows the BBC’s prior adaptation of Rooney's award-winning 2018 novel Normal People, which will premiere in the UK this Spring on BBC Three and BBC One, also directed by Abrahamson. Following her work on Normal People, Alice Birch will return to write a number of episodes for Conversations with Friends with further writers to be announced.

Rooney said: "I am so pleased to be working with the team at Element, Lenny Abrahamson and the BBC to produce an adaptation of Conversations With Friends. I'm confident we're going to find fresh and interesting ways of dramatising the novel's dynamics, and I'm excited to watch the process take shape‚Äé."

Set in Dublin, the story is about "two college students Frances and Bobbi, and the strange, unexpected connection they forge with a married couple, Melissa and Nic."

Abrahamson said: "I love Conversations With Friends, its depth, humour and freshness, and it’s an honour to be involved in bringing it to the screen. I’m particularly happy that my connection to Sally and her work is set to continue. Making Normal People has been a singular pleasure and I’m excited to be working with the same brilliant team again on Conversations With Friends."

Wenger said: "On the back of the taut and tangled Normal People we are delighted that Sally has entrusted us, and the wonderfully talented people at Element Pictures, with her debut novel Conversations With Friends."

Guiney said: "The team at Element have nurtured a burning ambition to bring Conversations With Friends to the screen ever since we first read it. We could not be more excited to be working once again with Sally, Lenny, Alice and our friends at the BBC on the adaptation of this utterly exceptional and enthralling novel."

Filming dates and casting are to be announced.