BBC Three has acquired the UK rights from Warner Bros. Television for the highly successful comedy series Shrill. The first series will be available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer from Sunday 15 December. The 6×25 series stars Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as Annie, an overweight young woman who wants to change her life – but not her body. The series also features Lolly Adefope, who plays her best friend and roommate Fran, along with Luka Jones (Ryan), Ian Owens (Amadi), John Cameron Mitchell (Gabe) and Patti Harrison (Ruthie). It is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and Elizabeth Banks.

Annie is trying to start her career while juggling bad boyfriends, a sick parent, and a perfectionist boss. Along the way, Annie will weigh the pros and cons of having a child with her hook-up buddy and the decision-making process will force her, with help from her best friend Fran, to figure out who she is and what she wants from her life. She will also write her first article, and she will finally ask for more from the people in her life than she has before. She hits a setback when an Internet troll appears and tries to drag her self-esteem back down where it started. But she will ultimately promote body positivity and explain exactly what it’s like to be a larger woman in today’s world.

Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “Annie is such a relatable and engaging character, I am sure that BBC Three viewers will enjoy watching her navigate her way through life with warmth, humour and increasing confidence.”

After its successful airing in the US, a second season of Shrill has already been commissioned.