As well as being entertaining and relatable, Carthy Williams' novel has also been praised for its exploration of political themes and the effects of systemic racism, making it far more than the widely promoted tagline “a black Bridget Jones.”
The author told The Guardian: “Bridget is Bridget. She's a middle-class, white, blonde woman who grew up in the outskirts of London with well-off parents. She lives in a posh London Bridge apartment. And Queenie is none of those things.”
Read on for everything you need to know about Channel 4's Queenie.
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Queenie release date
Dionne Brown and Michelle Greenidge star in Queenie. Channel 4 / LaToya Okuney
Queenie will premiere as a double bill on Channel 4 at 10pm on Tuesday 4 June 2024. The series will also be available to stream on the broadcaster's free streaming service, also known as Channel 4.
In the US, the show will be available a little later on Hulu on Friday, June 7th.
Queenie's Cast
Dionne Brown and John Pointing star in Queenie. Channel 4 / LaToya O'Kunay
Dionne Brown (The Walk-In) stars in the lead role as Queenie, a 20-something Londoner trying to build a powerful career in journalism while juggling a complicated personal life.
Samuel Adewunmi ( Secret Invasion ) co-stars as Frank, a boy who attends Queenie's high school and has big plans for the future, while singer-songwriter Bella plays her best friend, Kyazike.
Big Boys actor John Pointing also stars as Queenie's long-term boyfriend Tom, and Sally Phillips (of Bridget Jones fame) stars as Gina, Queenie's editor at the Daily Read.
Michelle Greenidge plays Aunt Maggie in the comedy-drama and has recently won many new fans for her role as Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson)'s adoptive mother in Doctor Who.
The supporting cast includes Tilly Keeper, Llewella Gideon, Elisha Applebaum, Cristale de Abreu and Mim Shaik, with Joseph Marcel, Joseph Olman, Melissa Jones and Santana Holness also appearing.
“Love Island” fans should keep an eye out for former presenter Laura Whitmore's appearance, which will be her latest acting project after appearing in the West End production of “2:22 A Ghost Story.”
What is Queenie?
Sally Phillips and Dionne Brown star in Queenie. Channel 4 / LaToya Okuney
Queenie tells the story of a Jamaican-British woman living in South London who is going through a quarter-century crisis in her life, with failed romantic relationships, dissatisfaction at work and arguments with her family.
The series follows her as she tries to understand the root causes of her current problems and find solutions that will put her on a more positive path.
Queenie Trailer
Channel 4 has released the official trailer for Queenie, which you can watch now.
Alternatively, US streaming service Hulu has released a slightly longer trailer that gives a bit more context on what to expect from the show, which you can watch here:
Queenie airs on Tuesday, June 4 on Channel 4. Check out our drama features or visit our TV and streaming guides to find out what's on.
To hear more from TV's biggest stars, listen to the Radio Times Podcast.