Nollywood actress and filmmaker Genevieve Nnaji is set to make her return to the screen in Wahala, a new drama series produced by BBC Studios.
The six-part thriller, adapted from Wahala by BAFTA-nominated writer Theresa Ikoko, will stream on BBC iPlayer and air on BBC One.
BBC announced the casting on Tuesday, revealing a female-led cast featuring Adelayo Adedayo, Deborah Ayorinde, Cush Jumbo and Susan Wokoma alongside Nnaji.
Based on Nikki May’s debut novel, the series follows four Nigerian-British women navigating friendship, careers, love and family in present-day London, while confronting dark secrets from their past.
The story centres on Simi, Boo and Ronke, played by Adedayo, Jumbo and Wokoma respectively, whose close-knit friendship is disrupted by the arrival of Isobel, portrayed by Ayorinde.
According to the producers, the drama explores betrayal, buried truths and the consequences of long-hidden secrets.
Reacting to the project, Nnaji said she was excited to be part of the production.
“I’m very happy to be joining Wahala and to be working with such a brilliant team. It’s an intriguing story and I’m excited to be a part of it,” she said.
The project marks one of Nnaji’s major acting returns in recent years following the release of Lionheart, her directorial debut, which premiered internationally in 2018 and later streamed on Netflix in January 2019.
Nnaji, regarded as one of Nollywood’s most influential actresses, has maintained a relatively low public profile in recent years, fuelling anticipation among fans over her latest role.
Wahala, which translates to “trouble” in Nigerian Pidgin, is being produced by Firebird Pictures, a company under BBC Studios.
The PUNCH