Is this the new Bridget Jones? Young journalist Queenie hits the bottle and spirals into mayhem after her boyfriend ditches her in a darkly comic new series

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A chaotic whirl of heartbreak, inappropriate dates, tricky family relationships and self-sabotage, all presented with a darkly comic edge. 

No, it’s not the upcoming Bridget Jones film or a new series of Fleabag, for that matter. This is new Channel 4 series Queenie, the tale of a vibrant but troubled 25-year-old British-Jamaican woman whose life spirals out of control after a devastating break-up.

Adapted by Candice Carty-Williams from her own bestselling 2019 novel – which she claims is based on both her own experiences and those of her friends – the compelling eight-part series will have audiences rooting for south Londoner Queenie Jenkins, the all-too-human character at its heart who’s desperate for love but seems to be her own worst enemy when it comes to finding it.

‘It’s been a long process,’ says Candice of the journey from book to TV show. ‘But reworking it was really fun. I got to think about new characters and find new ways to understand the trauma Queenie’s going through, so viewers can understand what the end of a relationship can be like for someone who’s already on the edge. 

'Some of it was hard to revisit – she’s super-traumatised and things get dark – but that’s why there’s comedy too. It was a way of taking us out of the dark moments.’

Londoner Queenie Jenkins, played by Dionne Brown (pictured), is a troubled 25-year-old British-Jamaican woman whose life spirals out of control after a devastating break-up

The story gives an insight into what it’s like for a black woman in Britain today – from the casual racism of men on dating apps to navigating mixed-raced relationships – but its depiction of love and heartbreak will feel familiar to everyone. 

‘There are so many layers from race to mental health to class and trauma,’ says Candice. ‘The only difficulty was fitting all those issues into eight episodes of 25 minutes.’

Queenie (played by Dionne Brown, who recently starred in Criminal Record with Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo) works as a social media reporter for a national newspaper. 

Her ambition is to take on big investigations, but her ideas are constantly rejected. She has a close group of friends though, and on the surface she seems to be coping.

But she’s arguing with her white boyfriend Tom (Jon Pointing) and after a fractious dinner with his family – at which his grandmother bemoans the prospect of having ‘half-caste’ great-grandchildren – he tells her it’s time for a break. That sends her into a spiral as she attempts to deal with the rejection.

At first she puts on a brave face as she moves into a new houseshare, but she’s soon drinking heavily and dating inappropriate men to distract herself. 

Christmas with her mum triggers feelings she’s been trying to suppress, and she’s soon at breaking point as one final dreadful experience sends her into a tailspin even her friends struggle to pull her out of.

‘She’s ripping herself apart and trying to figure out how to put herself back together,’ says Dionne. ‘I’m a bit older than Queenie but I remember struggles I went through in my twenties. It’s a transformative time and you don’t have control over the changes that are happening.

Channel 4's Queenie is adapted by Candice Carty-Williams (pictured) from her own bestselling 2019 novel of the same name

‘I didn’t know other people felt like this. When we’re going through emotional hardship we make it singular to ourselves, like we’re the only ones going through it, and that’s not true. 

'We get to around 25 and some of our friends are getting married, buying houses. I relate to thinking, “What’s happening, why do I feel like I’m not growing?”’

Producers struggled to cast Queenie’s effervescent best friend Kyazike until one heard singer-songwriter Bellah talking about her music on the news. ‘I was so out of my comfort zone but I just wanted to put my best foot forward,’ says Bellah. 

‘Kyazike offers comic relief but also gives Queenie a reality check. No matter what, even if you’re in a mess, she’s there for you.’

Candice says the show and the novel that inspired it are a lesson to everyone that it’s OK to be messy. ‘Just existing in the world can be painful. I used to feel very lonely, angry that I wasn’t more confident, more financially sound. But I hope people see it’s OK to have those feelings. Just go for what you want.’

• Queenie, Tue-Wed, 10pm, Ch4.