Yahoo News ‘The List’: HBO Max, BBC & A24 Developing TV Version Of ‘Slay In Your Lane’ Author Yomi Adegoke’s Debut Novel
EXCLUSIVE: HBO Max, the BBC and A24 have won the rights to co-develop one of the most anticipated British debuts of the coming year: Slay in Your Lane scribe Yomi Adegoke’s The List.
In what Deadline understands was a highly-competitive situation that attracted the interest of some of the UK’s top drama production houses, A24’s Piers Wenger and Rose Garnett-led international team won out and is in early-stage development on a TV adaptation for the British public broadcaster and U.S. streamer. Adegoke is creating and exec producing.
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Due to be published in July, The List follows Ola Olajide, a high-profile journalist at Womxxxn magazine about to marry the love of her life, Michael. The couple seem to have it all but one morning they wake up to the same message: “Oh my god, have you seen The List?”
Adegoke is a columnist, journalist, former Forbes 30 Under 30 and co-writer of 2018 breakout Slay in Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible based on interviews with 39 successful Black British women. That book also generated headlines after Adegoke slammed the BBC for plagiarizing the title in a poster advertising women’s sport.
She is also the creator of Channel 4’s Black Love documentary and signed with CAA in late 2021. Madeleine Milburn Literary, Film & TV Agency in the UK represents her novel writing.
“I truly cannot put into words how excited I am to have the opportunity to tell Ola and Michael’s story on-screen,” said Adegoke.
“There is so much more I have to say on the complexities of these characters’ on and offline lives, their friends, their families and everything else so being able to do so in a series is nothing short of a dream come true.”
Adegoke called HBO, the BBC and A24 “the best in the business.”
The early-stage development project joins other A24 projects for the BBC including an adaptation of Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain and This is England creator Shane Meadows’ The Gallows Pole, which is being made with Normal People indie Element Pictures and Big Arty.
The BBC and HBO have also tied a number of recent youth-skewing projects including upcoming Daisy May Cooper-starrer Rain Dogs and The Girl Before.
The List was sold on a partial manuscript and will be published by Fourth Estate and William Morrow (HarperCollins UK/US).
The deal was negotiated by Josie Freedman at CAA, on behalf of Hannah Ladds and Hayley Steed at Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency.
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