BBC’s coastal town-set dark drama with ‘unlikely duo caught up in a crime’ will ‘surprise viewers’

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I’m so excited about this new BBC drama, Shy & Lola! It’s being called a darkly comic story, and Hayley Squires – you might recognize her from The Night Manager – is going to be one of the leads. It sounds like a really interesting pairing of characters, an unlikely duo, and I can’t wait to see what it’s all about.

Award-winning writer Amanda Coe (known for TV dramas like The Trial of Christine Keeler and Apple Tree Yard, both BBC productions) has created Shy & Lola, a story about two unlikely allies. The plot revolves around a murder that draws them into the criminal world of a small North of England coastal town.

The series follows two inexperienced individuals who unexpectedly discover a knack for criminal activity. They start building a successful operation that challenges the existing local criminals, and must then decide whether to use their profits to escape their pasts or take over as the new leaders of the criminal underworld.

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Bel Powley, known for her role in A Small Light, will star alongside Squires in the upcoming film. Together, they’ll play the main characters, Lola and Shy.

Hayley Squires in The Night Manager

Screenwriter Amanda Coe described working on Shy & Lola as a dream, highlighting the show’s complex and engaging central relationship. She said it’s full of fun, action, and emotion, and she’s excited to see the talented cast and director bring the story to the screen.

Rachelle Constant, an executive producer with Clerkenwell Films (the company behind Netflix’s Baby Reindeer and Sky’s The Death of Bunny Munro), praised the series written by Coe as “brilliantly bold,” highlighting its combination of dark humor and fast-paced plot.

Lindsay Salt, head of drama at the BBC, described the show’s central characters, Shy and Lola, as an unexpected pair – a classic odd couple – who find themselves involved in a murder, and that’s only the beginning of their story.

Hayley Squires in The Night Manager

Salt highly commended Amanda Coe’s excellent writing, predicting it will both surprise and entertain audiences. He also noted that with Clerkenwell producing and Hayley and Bel starring, BBC viewers can expect a fantastic show.

Shy & Lola is based on the 2020 French thriller Cheyenne & Lola, written by Virginie Brac.

The BBC hasn’t revealed the full cast for Shy & Lola yet, but filming is scheduled to start this spring.

Shy & Lola is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, with a release window not yet confirmed.

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2026-02-23 15:19