Nigerian actress and filmmaker Genevieve Nnaji has joined the cast of Wahala, a new BBC drama adapted from the novel of the same name by Nikki May.
The casting announcement was made by BBC Studios on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The six-part thriller is being produced by Firebird Pictures, part of BBC Studios, for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
The series was adapted by BAFTA-nominated writer Theresa Ikoko. It follows the lives of four Nigerian-British women in their thirties as they navigate friendship, family, careers, and personal secrets in present-day London.
According to the BBC, the story centers on Simi, Boo, and Ronke, played by Adelayo Adedayo, Cush Jumbo, and Susan Wokoma. Their friendship is disrupted after the arrival of Isobel, played by Deborah Ayorinde.
The BBC described Wahala as a “gripping and surprising” thriller exploring friendship, loyalty, and hidden truths.
Nnaji said she was pleased 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.
Ikoko also commented on the production.
“I can’t wait to bring Wahala to life with this amazing cast, wonderful directors and brilliantly talented crew,” she said.
Director of BBC Drama Lindsay Salt praised the adaptation and cast.
“Theresa’s scripts for Wahala are an absolute joy — riveting, full of rich and complex characters, and everything you’d want from Nikki May’s exquisite book brought vividly to life on screen,” Salt said.
The announcement drew reactions online, with many viewers describing the project as Nnaji’s return to acting after several years away from the screen since her role in the 2018 Netflix film Lionheart, which marked her directorial debut and became the first Nigerian film acquired by Netflix.
One user, Emmanuel Chinedum, wrote on X that “the last time we saw Genevieve Nnaji on screen was in her Netflix feature film ‘Lionheart’.”
Another user reacted to the announcement by writing, “What? What? Tell me this is a lie! Wow!”
No release date has been announced for the series, although filming has begun in the United Kingdom.
The production is executive produced by Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC, alongside Elizabeth Kilgarriff, Craig Holleworth, and Theresa Ikoko. The directors are Leonora Lonsdale, Theresa Ikoko, and Remi Weekes, while Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto serves as producer.
