Adrian Mole casting revealed for upcoming reboot – and they should be familiar to Alan Carr fans

Oliver Savell is set to take on the lead role of Adrian in the BBC’s upcoming reboot of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾.

The 10-part series, which is based on Sue Townsend’s best-selling book of the same name, was confirmed in November last year.

The BBC also revealed at the time that a nationwide search was under way to find a young actor to take on the lead role – a part famously played by Gian Sammarco in a 1985 adaptation of the novel by Thames TV.

Now, The Sun has reported that Savell, who starred as the young Alan Carr in ITV's autobiographical series Changing Ends, is set to take on the role.

An insider told the publication: “Thanks to playing a slightly awkward bespectacled Alan during his schoolboy years on Changing Ends, producers could see he’d fit right into the Mole role."

The BBC declined to provide comment on the story but Radio Times understands this to be true.

The new series, which comes from Ludwig production company Big Talk Studios, is being penned by a writing team led by One Day author David Nicholls.

Others set to write episodes across the series include Caitlin Moran and Caroline Moran (Raised by Wolves), Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor (Everyone Else Burns), and Jack Rooke (Big Boys).

The official synopsis says: "It’s New Year’s Day 1981 and Adrian starts his uniquely funny diary about family life and being a teenager before the advent of mobile phones and social media."

It continues: "With only a multi-coloured ballpoint pen as his guide, Adrian worries about his spots, his parents’ divorce, the torment of first love and the fact he’s never seen a female nipple.

"As Adrian's mother Pauline wrestles with her feminist awakening, his father George struggles with being made redundant in an unforgiving economy. Adrian’s wider world is made up of a host of memorable characters like his 'treacle-haired beloved' Pandora, his take-no-prisoners Grandma and his unlikely friend, the foul-mouthed pensioner Bert Baxter.

"This vivid portrait of suburban life in Britain shows how much we have changed while staying the same. The result is a timeless family drama that is as warm and funny as it is sad and poignant."

Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.