The BBC has announced the release details for its new television adaptation of William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies, marking the first small-screen version of the story. All four episodes will launch on BBC iPlayer on February 8, 2026, with weekly broadcasts on BBC One following. The series, written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden, stays faithful to the 1954 book's setting and themes.
William Golding's Lord of the Flies, first published in 1954 and a cornerstone of English literature that contributed to his 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature, is receiving its debut television adaptation courtesy of the BBC. The four-part series, produced with the full support of Golding's family, remains set in the early 1950s, as in the original novel.
The story follows a group of schoolboys stranded on a mysterious Pacific island after a plane crash, where they attempt to maintain order without adult supervision, leading to a breakdown in civilization. Each episode is named after a key character, providing varied perspectives on the group's descent into chaos and exploring themes of human nature, the loss of innocence, and the dynamics of boyhood masculinity.
Leading the cast is Winston Sawyers as Ralph, alongside Lox Pratt as Jack, David McKenna as Piggy, and Ike Talbut as Simon. Additional roles include Thomas Connor as Roger, Noah and Cassius Flemyng as the twins Sam and Eric, Cornelius Brandreth as Maurice, and Tom Page-Turner as Bill.
The adaptation premieres with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Sunday, February 8, 2026. BBC One will then air the series weekly at 9pm starting that evening. A trailer for the production has also been released.
