Filming has started on a captivating new thriller series for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, titled Wahala. This six-episode drama adapts Nikki May’s bestselling debut novel, featuring a stellar cast including Adelayo Adedayo, Deborah Ayorinde, Cush Jumbo, Susan Wokoma, and Nigerian star Genevieve Nnaji.
Plot Overview
The story centers on four Nigerian-British women in their thirties, balancing romance and careers in London while flashing back to their childhood homes filled with danger and mystery. Best friends Simi, Boo, and Ronke welcome affluent newcomer Isobel (Deborah Ayorinde) into their circle, but trouble soon erupts. Tensions escalate, loyalties break, and buried truths emerge, leading to shocking and tragic outcomes that test their friendships to the breaking point.
The series echoes the intrigue of shows like Big Little Lies and Sex and the City, blending dark secrets with complex relationships.
Cast Reactions
Cush Jumbo, acclaimed for her roles in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, shared her enthusiasm: “I am very excited to be part of this show and to bring this fantastic story to the screen.”
Adelayo Adedayo, recognized from Some Girls, Timewasters, and The Responder, described it as “a thrilling ride.”
Genevieve Nnaji added: “I’m very happy to be joining Wahala and to be working with such a brilliant team. It’s an intriguing story and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Production Highlights
BAFTA-nominated writer Theresa Ikoko handles the adaptation, with production by Firebird Pictures, a BBC Studios division. Lindsay Salt, BBC Drama director, praised the project: “Theresa’s scripts for Wahala are an absolute joy—riveting, full of rich and complex characters, and everything you’d want from Nikki May’s exquisite book brought vividly to life on screen. It’s no surprise that it’s attracted a cast of this magnificent calibre.”
Wahala promises gripping surprises and arrives soon on BBC platforms.
