Paris Lees says coming-of-age BBC series ‘struck gold’ with cast

Paris Lees has said her new series “struck gold” with the cast revealed for the coming-of-age BBC drama.

The series, What It Feels Like For A Girl, is based on journalist Lees’ memoir recounting her formative years in Britain when she lived as a boy called Byron.

The eight-part, TV show will star Ellis Howard who plays Byron, a teenager from a small, working-class town, who begins to explore a new life in Nottingham.

Byron meets a group of “kindred spirits” known as the Fallen Divas, which includes Lady Die played by Laquarn Lewis, Sticky Nikki played by Alex Thomas-Smith, Waterloo Road’s Adam Ali as Dirty Damian, and acid-tongued Sasha played by Hannah Jones.

Speaking about the show, Lees said: “This is a proudly working-class story, and it needed a cast who could bring it to life authentically.

“We’ve struck gold with these highly talented actors, some of whom are already familiar faces – and some who are about to be.”

Paris Lees is an English author and campaigner who became Vogue’s first transgender columnist in 2018 with The Life-Changing Power Of…

The series, inspired by Lees’ life, follows the group of “divas” who beg, steal and live through the UK’s early 2000s club scene where Byron is seduced by bad-boy Liam, played by Jake Dunn, until a shocking encounter occurs that will change his life forever.

Also among the newly announced cast is Hannah Walters, who is best known for the hit series A Thousand Blows and Boiling Point, and is married to the Adolescence creator and actor, Stephen Graham.

The Recruit actress Laura Haddock will also join the series alongside Michael Socha who played PC Justin Mitchell in Showtrial.

Lees added: “The biggest challenge was always the lead role – we’re following someone who’s going from, in the eyes of the outside world, a schoolboy, right up to a trans woman starting university, and all that’s in between.

“The moment I saw Ellis, I recognised something in him – a cheekiness, a delicateness, a complexity – and knew he was the one.

“He rose to the challenge, again and again. The chemistry between El, Hannah, Laquarn and the rest of the Fallen Divas is something you can only dream of in drama.”

Other actors revealed include Calam Lynch who plays Max, and Dickie Beau as Peter alongside Rivals’ Emma Shipp, Sekou Diaby from Boarders and Laura Checkley from Screw.

Sherwood’s Oliver Huntingdon will also appear in the series as will Bridgerton’s Lorn Macdonald and Rhys Connah from Happy Valley, with guest appearances from Cold Feet’s Fay Ripley and Selina Mosinski known for portraying the web series’ character, Charity Shop Sue.

What It Feels Like For A Girl will arrive on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three later this year.