Lorna, played by Ejogo (pictured right), is a self-made, successful black businesswoman from South London who has worked hard to get where she is today. Her best friend, Juliet (Best, pictured left), is a woman born in the privileged gated community where they both live. Daughters Grace (Faires) and Allegra (May) are also best friends and live a life that other teenagers can only dream of.
A plot synopsis reads: “Until, that is, Grace and Allegra are implicated in a shocking scandal at their exclusive private school and Juliet and Lorna are forced to take sides, pushing their friendship to breaking point. As toxic secrets and lies ripple through the idyllic town, cracks within the community threaten to reveal the elitist ugliness and betrayal beneath.”
Best said: “After House of the Dragon, I wanted to plunge into something and someone very different from who I’d just been playing. And Nicôle’s brilliantly dark script really keeps me on my toes, which I love.” Ejogo added: “Nicôle brings a fresh and less explored U.K. perspective to her storytelling which resonates with me personally. I’m thrilled to be a part of Wild Cherry for the BBC.”
Writer and creator Lecky said: “Getting to work with Carmen and Eve is such a dream, and they have brought Wild Cherry to life in the most special way. Wild Cherry has a brilliant ensemble cast of characters (also led by Amelia and Imogen who are wonderful) and I cannot wait for audiences to meet our Richford Lake residents.”
The ensemble cast includes Daniel Lapaine (Catastrophe), Hayat Kamille (Vikings: Valhalla), Isabelle Allen (Safe), James Murray (The Crown), Jason York (Mood), Katarina Čas (Berlin Station), Nathaniel Martello-White (The Winter King), Sonita Henry (Black Cake), Tara Webb (Phoenix Rise), Will Bagnall (A Thousand Blows) and Hugh Quarshie (Holby City).
The series is produced by Firebird, one of BBC Studios' in-house production labels, for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers are Elizabeth Kilgarriff, Craig Holleworth for Firebird, Lisa Walters, Lecky, Toby Macdonald and Lucy Richer for the BBC. Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto is also a producer. The series is currently being filmed in Surrey. BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally.
