Few shows hit the way Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You did last summer.
The 12-part series was a searing portrayal of consent, race, sexuality and trauma, based on Coel’s own experience of sexual assault. It gripped audiences week-on-week and won widespread critical acclaim (although it was criminally snubbed by the Golden Globes in favour of Emily In Paris).
Still, Coel hasn’t let that get her down because she’s already hard at work on her next series, and it’s already been commissioned by the BBC. While details remain scarce—it doesn’t even have an officially confirmed title yet—there have been some vague suggestions that the new show could take place in the same universe as I May Destroy You.
In a recent interview with Deadline, BBC drama controller Piers Wenger remained as coy as possible and suggested the connection might be more abstract than a direct crossover. “It’s truly in Michaela’s head and it’s not for me to second-guess that too much at this point,” he said, adding: “It’s at relatively early stages, but I wanted to let the fans of I May Destroy You know that there is a new show coming along. What relationship that show will have with the original series, [is for Michaela to decide]. There’s a relationship between Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You. There’s a through line to her thinking. I suspect there may be elements [of I May Destroy You] but it’s really too early to say anything specific.”
