So excited to meet Luke Costello

[NoGwenItsABoxingDayTrifle]

Didn't know where to post but I've just watched Mariyan Keyes Instagram Story and The Walsh sisters from her series of books are getting a tv series. I've been reading these books for years and was over the moon when she gave us a sequel to Rachel's Holiday. Anyone else as pleased about this as I am, exited to see who will play Luke Costello and Ridey Joey!

I would watch it but honestly I don't think anyone could play them as well as they appear in the books. I think they would have to be a big disappointment.

I know what you mean, I have a real picture in my head of these characters (particularly Rachel and Helen who I think are the most stand out characters in the series) I also feel like I've been out with a few Luke and Joey types in my twenties, I can't wait to see who will be playing them.. Anyone want to hazard a guess for fun?
Who would you have play
Rachel
Anna
Helen
Maggie
Claire
Mammy Walsh
Luke
Joey

Well I'd be more than happy to see James Norton as Luke. Not sure how old the characters are going to be, if we see them as they were when the books were written? In which case he'd maybe be too old but in my head he's Luke.

I am simultaneously delighted and apprehensive about this news. I love the books so it will be brilliant to see them televised if they get them right - but because I love the books so much I’m going to have very high expectations. I really hope they cast people who actually fit the book descriptions.

Teasing us with this on her instagram. Cast is announced on Friday,

From her instagram

They're far too tall for Anna and Helen

So excited ❤️❤️

Marian Keyes is titchy though, making the rest of them look really tall. I read Again Rachel and My favourite mistake recently so have a picture In mind of Rachel, Anna, Luke and Joey. I've just ordered her earlier ones from Vinted and I'm going to start from the beginning.

I would never want to see Helen on the screen. The Mercy Close book was terrible in my opinion and didn't match Helen at all. She's absolutely amazing in the other books and I was so disappointed in mercy Close but always believed it was because Marian was going through such a terrible time with depression and that's where that book came from.

Would love James Norton, do you think they'll use Irish actors though?

Helen seems to have the wrong hair colour

I didn't know this, so thanks for the heads up! Very exciting 😀

I thought this about her clothes.... but then realised, of course these will be changed! I guess her hair colour can be changed too.

Claire and Anna also have the wrong hair colour. Anna and Helen are meant to be more petite than the other three.

I wonder how they’re going to do it though because there’s something like 20 years spanning the first 5 books (Helen is 18 in Watermelon and in her 40s in Mercy Close, if I remember rightly?). So will they gradually age them all up accordingly? Or will they change it so each of their stories happens in more or less the same time period so they are whatever age they are across all the stories? I know nobody knows the answer, am just speculating on the options!

I'm curious to see how they do it too, Helen was pregnant in Again Rachel 2022 and had a little girl in My favourite mistake.

I don’t think they’re covering the two newest books. The article I saw said it was just the first 5 being covered (so up to Mercy Close).

yabu

I’m part excited by this and part worried it won’t live up to my imagination/expectations

I see, I just read that they will all be in there late twenties and early thirties. I can't really remember if that is consistent with the books.

It depends which book and which sister! In Watermelon the ages range from 29 (Claire) down to 18 (Helen). By Mercy Close Helen is in her early 40s with Claire in her 50s. So having them at ages in their late twenties and early thirties would work for the middle books only. Although that doesn’t work at all for the 11 year age gap between Claire and Helen - for Claire to be in her early thirties Helen would have to be early twenties not late twenties.

Sounds like they’re going to make them all much closer in age and have all the events happening in a short time period not 20+ years.

Now I’m already annoyed that it’s not going to follow the books closely enough! And yes I know I am nitpicking but I love these books and I really want to see them done properly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2025/bbc-marian-keyes-walsh-sisters-cast

I'm so excited for this.

I’m also excited but also apprehensive because it won’t live up to my imagination. I could watch a 6 episode series just on Rachel’s Holiday.

hopefully they won’t be trying to run all the stories together at the same time. It would be too weird to have everything going on at the same time.

might just have to read the whole series again.

Thanks so much @MrsDrDear , so exciting!!

Máiréad Tyers is fab! Love her ❤️ Would recommend Extraordinary on Disney+ for a quirky comedy (if you're not easily offended).

Carrie Crowley is a blast from the past for me, I was in the audience for a talk-show she did many years ago!

Also really looking forward to seeing Debi Mazar play Chaquie - I wonder will she play it as an American? I can't see her pulling off the fake posh SoCoDu accent.