The BBC Releases the Full Series of Evanna Lynch’s “Normal People” Podcast
With coronavirus lockdowns extending into their second, possibly third, month in many countries, people are turning to binge-watching television to pass the time. The latest love story to take the world by storm is Normal People, an adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel of the same name. Helmed by award-winning directors Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald, it follows the intimate relationship of two teenagers, Marianne and Connell, as they navigate the unexpected challenges of school, social circles, and growing up.
As the world obsesses over this heartwarming show, so are Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Riyadh Khalaf, who is an author and broadcaster. They have come together to launch a BBC podcast, titled Obsessed with… Normal People, to break down the show’s story. The podcast series is split into three parts: the beginning, when Marianne and Connell first meet in secondary school; the middle section, when the duo moves to college in Dublin; and the end, when they get ready to face the adult world. The remaining podcast episodes unpack powerful themes within the show, such as mental health.
In the introduction, Lynch shared the inspiration behind the podcast:
So ‘Normal People’ is sort of the love story of our generation. I know so many people who have read it and saw themselves in those characters and in that relationship. It reminds us all of our first love and maybe the one who got away or the love of our life. It’s just these two people who meet each other and then weave in and out of each other’s lives as they go through so many things. We’re going to embrace every facet of this story in this podcast.
For Khalaf, Normal People resonates with him on a personal level. He talks about the special connection that he feels with the show’s setting:
As you can probably already tell, we are both really, really Irish. So a book and a show based in the Emerald Isle, we’re going to be able to pick parts and translate all of the cultural elements, all of the slang that we love, and make it pretty easy for you to understand.
If you are a fan of Normal People, this podcast is full of food for thought and a must-listen! You can listen to or download the podcast on the BBC Sounds website. Let us know your take on it!
