The BBC has announced a new six-part drama, Shy & Lola, and it sounds utterly binge-worthy. The series follows Shy and Lola, two very different women forced to team up when they get caught up in a murder.

The series is shaping up to be another compelling drama on the BBC’s ever-increasing slate. With a mix of high-stakes crime, dark comedy, and a strong character-driven narrative, it looks like viewers are in for a wild ride.

Hayley Squires plays Shy in the upcoming series© Karwai Tang/WireImage
Hayley Squires plays Shy in the upcoming series

Not only is the dark comedy penned by award-winning screenwriter and novelist Amanda Coe (Apple Tree Yard, The Trial of Christine Keeler), but it’s also produced by multi-BAFTA and Emmy award-winning Clerkenwell Films, which boasts an impressive list of TV credits, including Baby Reindeer. 

Plus, Sam Donovan, whose credits include tense thrillers such as Severance and Down Cemetery Road, is the lead director, while Nadia Jaynes (The Responder, Big Mood) will produce.

Keep reading for all we know so far…

What is Shy & Lola about?

Starring The Night Manager‘s Hayley Squires and The Morning Show actress Bel Powley, the six-part series follows two very different women forced to become allies when a murder entangles them in the criminal underworld operating in Shy’s small coastal town in the North of England.

Hayley portrays Shy, a cleaner who is just scraping by and is dreaming of a new life in Portugal, while Bel plays Lola, an ex-model-turned-grifter who arrives in town with trouble at her heels.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15: Bel Powley attends the Charles Finch & Chanel Pre-BAFTA Party at 5 Hertford Street on February 15, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images)© Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Im
Bel Powley plays Lola in the drama

The synopsis continues: “Beginning as exploited novices, the unlikely duo turn out to have a talent for crime. As they build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, opposing futures beckon – using their earnings to fund a fresh start, or becoming the new bosses in town.”

Filming is set to begin this spring in and around Hull and Leeds, with further casting to be announced in due course.

What to expect from the drama?

According to screenwriter Amanda, the series is “full of fun, action and emotion”. “With such a rich and spiky central relationship at its core, Shy & Lola is a dream of a show to write,” she said in a statement.

A man wears a yellow coat© Netflix
The series comes from the producers of Netflix’s Baby Reindeer

Meanwhile, Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said viewers are in for “a real treat”. “Shy and Lola are an unlikely duo, the classic odd couple, who get caught up in a murder – and that’s just the start of it,” said Lindsay.

When will the series be released?

The BBC has yet to unveil a release date, but given filming is yet to commence, we’d expect Shy & Lola to arrive on our screens in late 2026 at the earliest.