What It Feels Like for a Girl is a British coming of age television series that is adapted by Paris Lees from her memoir of the same name. The series premiered on 3 June 2025 on BBC Three. It received five nominations at the 2026 TV BAFTAs, including Best Limited Drama, Leading Actor for Ellis Howard and Best Writer, Drama for Paris Lees.
Cast and characters Main
Guest Oliver Huntingdon as Bradley Sekou Diaby as Rinze Rhys Connah as Carl Fay Ripley as Tessa Selina Mosinski as Mikey Juliet Cowan as Alison Lorn Macdonald as Tony Emma Naomi as Miss Meadows Conor Deane as Wayne
Production Development In June 2023, it was announced BBC Three had commissioned an 8-episode adaptation of Paris Lees' coming-of-age memoir What It Feels Like for a Girl, produced by Hera Pictures and penned by Lees herself. Chris Sweeney was originally attached as lead director, but the position later went to Brian Welsh. Lees was joined in the writing room by Georgia Christou, Paul Williams, Sarah Simmonds and Mika Onyx Johnson, while Ng Choon Ping and Marie Kristiansen supported Welsh as directors. Casting The cast was revealed in March 2025, with Ellis Howard set to lead the series. Lees said "The biggest challenge was always the lead role – we're following someone who’s going from, in the eyes of the outside world, a schoolboy, right up to a trans woman starting university, and all that's in between. The moment I saw Ellis, I recognised something in him - a cheekiness, a delicateness, a complexity - and knew he was the one". Also announced were Laura Haddock, Hannah Walters and Michael Socha as well as Laquarn Lewis, Hannah Jones, Adam Ali, Alex Thomas-Smith, Calam Lynch, Jake Dunn and Dickie Beau. Further cast members included Emma Shipp, Sekou Diaby, Laura Checkley, Oliver Huntingdon, Lorn Macdonald and Rhys Connah. Fay Ripley and Selina Mosinski would make guest appearances. Filming Principal photography took place in Nottingham and South Wales.
Episodes
Reception The first season of the show received universal critical acclaim. The Guardian hailed it as a "memorably complex psychological portrait" and praised Howard as "charismatic and convincing" in the lead role. Financial Times also singled out Howard for praise, calling the performance "at once charismatic and vulnerable, exhilarated and fatalistic, sharp-tongued and soft-hearted". The Telegraph hailed Howard as "magnetic", uplifting the story from being a generic entry in the "misunderstood child coming of age in a small town" genre. Digital Spy said, "It's no exaggeration to suggest that What It Feels Like for a Girl could do for trans representation what It's a Sin did a few years back for gay storytelling and awareness around the AIDS crisis”.
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominee(s) Result 2025 Rose d'Or Drama What It Feels Like For a Girl 2025 RTS Craft & Design Awards Casting Award Nathan Toth Costume Design – Scripted Nirage Mirage Director – Scripted Brian Welsh Editing – Scripted Sam White Photography – Scripted Si Bell Production Design – Scripted Gem Randall & Miri Katz 2025The Digital Spy Reader AwardsTV - British Rising Star Ellis Howard Hannah Jones 2026 BSC Award Best Cinematography in a Television Drama (UK Terrestrial) Neus Ollé 2026 RTS Programme Awards Breakthrough Award Ellis Howard Limited Series and Single Drama What It Feels Like for a Girl 2026 BAFTA Craft Awards Best Writer, Drama Paris Lees Best Scripted Casting Nathan Toth 2026 BAFTA Television Awards Leading Actor Ellis Howard Limited Drama What It Feels Like for a Girl Memorable Moment "Byron leaves for Brighton to start university, where she introduces herself as Paris"
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External links