Fans of Normal People should keep an eye out for a "razor-sharp" new comedy drama on the way from Channel 4.
The Rachel Incident was announced by the broadcaster earlier this year, and is based on the 2023 novel by author and podcaster Caroline O'Donoghue, who has also penned books such as Promising Young Women and Scenes of a Graphic Nature.
The story is described as one of "unrequited love, shot through with delicious, sparkling humour about friends, lovers, Ireland in chaos, and a young woman desperately trying to manage all three".
The Rachel Incident follows the friendship between Rachel and James in Cork, Ireland, which changes their lives forever and leads to "secrets and compromises" when James helps Rachel in an attempt to seduce her professor.
The original book drew acclaim when it was released two years ago, and O'Donoghue will be adapting her story for the eight-part series, while Jen Statsky – who is one of the co-creators of acclaimed US comedy Hacks – is on board as an executive producer.
Element Pictures, which co-produced Normal People, is producing alongside UCP (Suits LA, Based on a True Story) and Pageboy (Close to You).
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"Like most authors, I’ve always dreamed of having my work adapted for the screen, but never could have imagined a situation as dreamy as this," O'Donoghue said. "Channel 4 and Element have, between them, created some of the best relationship dramas on TV and I know they’ll do the same for Rachel.
The Rachel Incident: The international bestseller - 'Funny, nostalgic, sexy' (Monica Heisey)
The Rachel Incident: The international bestseller - 'Funny, nostalgic, sexy' (Monica Heisey)
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"NBCUniversal have been stalwart collaborators since long before the book was even published, and I’m so grateful to them for setting me up with Jen Statsky, who has been an incredible mentor to me as I embark on my first show. I’m incredibly lucky."
Director of Film4 and Channel 4 Drama Ollie Madden added: "Caroline’s adaptation of her brilliant novel, and her vision for a returning series, was that rare thing – undeniably funny, razor-sharp in its honesty and observation, but bursting with heart and genuine emotion.
"We’re also huge fans of Hacks, so to have Jen Statsky working side-by-side with Caroline is the icing on the cake. Together with our friends at Element, UCP and Pageboy, we know this team is going to make something extraordinary."
Element Pictures teased that the story is "extraordinary in how it weaves smart, witty comedy with genuine moral dilemmas and pathos" and "brings us right to the heart of an achingly funny and endearing friendship".
"It's a world that is both intrinsically Irish and one that we feel audiences all over will recognize and love," they added.
What is The Rachel Incident about?
The series follows Rachel, a student who works at a bookstore, as she crosses paths with James – and it's "love at first sight".
"Effervescent and insistently heterosexual, James soon invites Rachel to be his roommate, and the two begin a friendship that changes the course of both their lives forever," the synopsis adds.
"Together, they run riot through the streets of Cork City, trying to maintain a bohemian existence while the threat of the financial crash looms before them.
"When Rachel falls in love with her married professor, Dr Fred Byrne, James helps her devise a reading at their local bookstore, with the goal that she might seduce him afterwards. But Fred has other desires."
This sets off "a series of secrets and compromises that intertwine the fates of James, Rachel, Fred, and Fred's glamorous, well-connected wife, Deenie".
Who is in The Rachel Incident?
No stars have been announced yet, though casting has been teased to be unveiled soon – so keep your eyes peeled for updates.
When will The Rachel Incident be released?
A release date hasn't been confirmed yet, though the series will air on Channel 4 when it premieres.
The Rachel Incident will air on Channel 4.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
