One Day director says she is shell-shocked by series' success

Molly Manners was lead director and associate producer of One Day

A director from Brighton said she was "shell-shocked" by the success of the Netflix series she worked on.

Molly Manners told BBC Radio Sussex she was "over the moon" to see One Day reach "so many people of all ages".

The series, based on David Nicholls' book of the same name, follows the relationship of Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall) over 20 years.

Ms Manners was associate producer and lead director of the series, directing episodes one, two, three and 14.

Luke Snellin, John Hardwick and Kate Hewitt also served as directors.

Emma and Dexter meet on their final night of university and the series follows them on the same day every year, the 15 July, for two decades as their relationship unfolds.

Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall play One Day's star roles Emma and Dexter

Ms Manners said that what drew her to the series was the connection between Emma and Dexter.

"I was very interested in this idea of when you meet someone and you're very drawn to them and you just kind of can't put them down.

"Whether it's friendships or it's romantic they're just kind of tied by this invisible string," she said.

Ms Manners wanted to portray "how that love looks and shape shifts across the years".

To Ms Manners, who directed four of the 14 episodes, the series is an exploration of love.

"Romance can exist in so many different forms and sometimes the biggest romances are the friendships - sometimes it takes a long time to realise," she said.

The director said she received an outpouring of messages after the series: "People saying: 'Oh my God, I'm going to value the people in my life' - that's the bit that really gets me."

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