Prof Bernardine Evaristo, the award-winning author and Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University of London, has landed her first screen adaptation for her 2013 novel, Mr Loverman. The eight-part drama series of the same name, starring Lennie James, will be on BBC iPlayer from Monday, and the first two episodes will air on Monday at 9pm on BBC One.
Prof Bernardine Evaristo holding a copy of the new look book with Lennie James on the cover
It was in 2020, during England’s first lockdown, that the drama series was first pitched to Prof Evaristo by the screenwriter, Nathaniel Price. He was one of the writers on the acclaimed BBC One drama Noughts & Crosses, and the Brunel professor was thoroughly on board with his approach to the drama. This came a year after Prof Evaristo won the Booker Prize for her novel Girl, Woman, Other, and in 2022, Mr Loverman was greenlit by the BBC.
Mr Loverman centres around a 74-year-old gay Londoner called Barrington, portrayed by the award-winning actor Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Line of Duty, Save Me). Originally from Antigua, Barrington is a married father and grandfather who has hidden his sexuality his whole life. Prof Evaristo said, “As a character, he is as flawed as they come, with deep desires, fears and contradictions, but he’s also very charismatic and funny.”
Lennie James as Barrington in the BBC drama Mr Loverman
The Brunel academic describes the book as a multi-layered exploration of sexuality, forbidden and hidden love and desire. “The book is ultimately about the consequences of not being true to yourself and explores the pressures of familial duty, sacrifice dynamics and secrets, conformity versus owning your individuality, and Caribbean masculinity and homophobia.”
Throughout pre-production, Prof Evaristo read the scripts, and she also visited the London set during filming. “I saw the script at various stages and offered some feedback, but overall, as soon as I started reading Nathaniel’s adaptation, I knew that he’d captured the soul of the novel,” she explained.
“It was exciting to visit the set at various times and to see the material realisation of the novel in physical form, such as the set, furniture and props, when everything had previously only existed in my imagination.
“Hand on heart, without exception, I was deeply impressed to see that the actors had brought my characters to life with such talent and accomplishment. As their creator, the characters are so close to me, I know them inside out, but the experience of seeing them on the screen as real people brought a powerful level of intimacy that I didn’t expect. My words made flesh, literally.”
She has high praise for the entire cast which includes Tahj Miles’s (Death in Paradise) depiction of Barrington’s grandson, Daniel.
Tahj Miles as Daniel in the BBC drama Mr Loverman
Having seen the series, Prof Evaristo is pleased that it has stayed true to her novel in the sense of the storylines, the characters and even some of the dialogue. “To my great relief, I absolutely love every aspect of the series, from the script, to the casting, the direction, the set design, the costumes, the soundtrack and the cinematography. It’s an exemplary adaptation,” she said.
Last year marked 75 years of the Windrush generation, and as October is Black History Month, it seems like the perfect time for Mr Loverman to hit our screens. “When I began writing this novel, I had long been aware that the Windrush generation had always been presented as completely heterosexual, which cannot be an accurate depiction of that demographic,” Prof Evaristo said. “I’m always interested in writing into the silences in our society and literary culture and bringing to the fore stories and characters that have been underexplored. The idea of an elderly, Caribbean gay protagonist seemed the perfect way to address this.”
Prof Evaristo explains why the series will see viewers rolling with laughter and reaching for the tissues. “It’s a drama that’s constantly moving from comedy to tragedy in an emotional rollercoaster,” explained the professor. “I hope audiences will find it entertaining, but also feel that they’ve gained new insights into the themes the series explores.”
The entire series of Mr Loverman will be available on BBC iPlayer from Monday, and the first two episodes will air on Monday, 9pm, BBC One.
Images from the drama (c) BBC/ Fable Pictures/ Des Willie
Click below to watch the trailer for Mr Loverman
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
nadine.palmer@brunel.ac.uk