David Nicholls shares delight at ‘phenomenal’ success of One Day Netflix adaptation

Virgin Radio

22 Apr 2024, 13:33

The author behind smash-hit novel One Day, David Nicholls, has revealed his reaction to the incredible popularity of the Netflix series.

One Day’s Netflix adaptation helped to reintroduce the best-selling novel to a new audience, 15 years after the book’s initial release, and 13 years since Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess starred in the film. 

The beloved novel about romance and loss was adapted again by Netflix earlier this year, and followed the love story of Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) who meet on their last night at university, 15th July. The 14-part drama then continued to revisit the couple every year on the same day, tracking their life stories as they fall in and out of love.

Chatting to Virgin Radio’s Ryan Tubridy during his mid-morning show today (22nd April), David shared how the start - and ending - of One Day eventually came about. 

The writer shared: “The premise of the book came from a Thomas Hardy novel, Tess of the D'urbervilles. There's a passage where she feels a shiver down her spine and wonders if that particular day has a significance of which she is not yet aware, that every year we pass through these days, which will become anniversaries, we just don't know it yet. 

“That was the starting point for the novel. And so the ending was always built into that. So I tend to plan my novels quite thoroughly before I write them.”

With One Day finding a new fanbase 15 years on from its release, David admitted he felt “phenomenally lucky” to have the new Netflix series made “by brilliant people.”

He added: “I only wrote one episode. I let other writers take on board the scripts. A brilliant writer called Nicole Taylor did most of the work with a fantastic team. I love the cast, I love the directors. It was very, very enjoyable and satisfying, and a great experience for me. 

“Even if no one had watched or picked up the book, I would have had a lovely time. But the fact that it's been returned to in this way was a great great surprise and a privilege and I'm very very thankful to everyone who's picked it up since well.”

All episodes of One Day are available on Netflix now. 

Tune into Ryan Tubridy’s mid-morning shows on Virgin Radio UK 10am-1pm weekdays.