Corus Entertainment teams up with Waterside Studios to produce "Greek Girl"

Corus Entertainment’s Waterside Studios have began production for its new series "Geek Girl,"  based on the best-selling novels by Holly Smale.“As Corus continues to build a content powerhouse, Geek Girl brings together Corus’ incredible collection of content and media assets,” said Colin Bohm, EVP Content and Corporate Strategy, Corus Entertainment. “From our YTV and STACKTV platforms, to our investment in Aircraft Pictures and launch of Waterside Studios, and Nelvana distributing the series globally, we have leveraged our full operation to bring Geek Girl to audiences worldwide.”

"Geek Girl" has been pre-sold to Netflix worldwide, and Nelvana has been appointed to distribute the new live-action series "Geek Girl" globally."For the last decade it's been my dream to see Geek Girl brought to life on screen,” Holly Smale, author of the "Geek Girl" book series said. “I'm so excited to work with Waterside Studios; the talent, vision and enthusiasm the entire team is bringing to my story is incredible, and I can't wait for the whole world to meet Harriet Manners on Netflix and YTV."

Production is now underway in the UK with co-producers RubyRock Pictures and Aircraft Pictures and will continue in Canada later this summer. Scheduled to premier on YTV and STACKTV in Canada and worldwide on Netflix next year, the series will be distributed globally by Nelvana thereafter. The screen adaptation was written by lead writer Jess Ruston, Sameera Steward, Holly Smale and Sarah Morgan. The series is directed by Declan O’Dwyer. The show is creatively produced by Zoë Rocha for RubyRock Pictures and by Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen for Aircraft Pictures. “Holly Smale has written heart-warming and laugh-out-loud coming-of-age stories that resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider,” said Jeff Norton, Head of Waterside Studios, and Executive Producer. “It’s been a true honour to develop these books for the screen and we couldn’t be happier to partner with both Corus’ own YTV and Netflix to bring Holly’s story to the screen together with top production companies RubyRock Pictures and Aircraft Pictures.”

"The Geek Girl" series consists of six novels, two novelas and one "World Book Day" book, all of which are published by HarperCollins UK and translated into 28 languages. "Geek Girl" was originally developed with the assistance of the BFI’s Young Audiences Content Fund. The story folllows an awkward teenager Harriet Manners whose life is upended when she is discovered as a model, whisking her from high school to high fashion. The beloved books are loosely based on Holly’s own experience. When, in January 2021, Holly was later diagnosed as autistic she realized her beloved main character, Harriet Manners, must be autistic too.

The cast of "Geek Girl" is led by Emily Carey as Harriet Manners, who will work alongside Sarah Parish as Jude Paignton, Emmanuel Imani as Wilbur Evans, Liam Woodrum as Nick Park,  Zac Looker as Toby Pilgrim, Tim Downie as Richard Manners, Jemima Rooper as Annabel Manners, Daisy Jelley as Poppy Hepple-Cartwright and introducing Rochelle Harrington as Natalie Grey.  “The books are an incredible read - there’s so much heart in the story and characters,” Zoë Rocha, Founder of RubyRock Pictures said. “Seeing the TV series come to life first in the writers’ room and now on set, I know that the show is going to be very special with all that emotional resonance depicted on screen. For anyone who knows the twists and turns of growing up, this is going to speak to you.”