This summer, we shared the news that Bernardine Evaristo’s 2013 novel Mr Loverman is being adapted for TV by the BBC and Fable Pictures. Starring Lennie James as the protagonist, the 8-part drama series is now in the pre-production stage and Evaristo just shared some exciting photos from the studio.

The book and TV adaptation is about the difficulties of balancing family and queer love, while being true to oneself. We are certain Mr Loverman is going to look stunning on the screen, especially now that we have proof from Evaristo’s shots at the TV studio.

In her Instagram post, she shared us with a couple of memorable moments during her visit and all the prep that goes into making a book come to life before production begins on a TV adaptation:

Could not hide my excitement at my first visit to film studios, and it was for the BBC TV adaptation of Mr Loverman, in pre-production. Everywhere I looked was the physical manifestation of my beloved character’s lives – so visually described in the novel and so carefully interpreted by the designers. Quite surreal to see designer mood boards, personal objects belonging to individual members of the Walker family that felt so familiar, set model boxes, builders constructing houses and rooms, all kinds of furniture for different domestic spaces in different eras, and a room full of costumes. I loved meeting some of the creatives including the production designer @christopher_melgram and costume designer Jodie Simone Howe @acostumequeen. So fascinating to see what goes into producing a screen drama – the relationship between creativity amd complex organisation – quite a feat. Thanks for the visit @fablepicsuk producers Faye Ward @fayeejward & Hannah Price @haninthehatch.

Mr Loverman is a story about 74-year-old Barrington Jedidiah Walker, who is born and raised in Antigua but lives in Hackney, London. Barrington leads a double life: he is a husband, father, and grandfather, but also secretly gay. Barrington wants to divorce his wife and live with his lover and childhood friend Morris, but after a lifetime of fear and deception, will he manage to break away?

Bernardine Evaristo is the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize in 2019 for her novel Girl, Woman, Other. Evaristo is currently Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University London and President of the Royal Society of Literature, the second woman and the first Black person to hold the role since it was founded in 1820.

Check out the stunning photos of the TV studio for Mr Loverman below. We cannot wait for the show to come out!