One Day author explains why Netflix series made one major change from the book

14 February 2024, 17:02

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By Katie Louise Smith

"I tend to fade to black and Nicole [Taylor] doesn’t fade to black."

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Netflix's One Day has well and truly got viewers in a shambles. The beautiful and tragic story of Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley has both captivated and devastated audiences, especially those who had never read the original novel or seen the 2011 film.

The series, starring Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod, has become a hit for the streaming service, and fans of David Nicholls' best-selling book have praised the series for how loyal the adaptation is.

Some things are exactly the same, some things are a little different. But there was one major change that was added when it came to turning the book into the 14-episode series... the sex scenes.

One Day author David Nicholls explains the one major change from the book to the Netflix show. Picture: Netflix

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the changes made when bringing the book to life in a brand new way on Netflix, David Nicholls explained that the show features a lot more sex than he ever wrote in his novel.

"There is a lot more sex in this than there is in the novel," he said. "I tend to fade to black and Nicole [Taylor, One Day’s head writer] doesn’t fade to black."

In the show, which is a strong 14 episodes long, viewers are treated to a more intimate look at Dexter and Emma's 20-year relationship. As well as love scenes between Dexter and Emma, there's also a handful of intimate moments that are shown on screen featuring both Dexter and Emma with their respective partners over the years.

In the book, these moments aren't written in as much detail as they are shown on screen.

Netflix's One Day features more sex scenes than the original David Nicholls novel. Picture: Netflix

Nicholls wrote the screenplay for the 2011 film starring Anne Hathaway, but he opted to not write the script for the Netflix series. Explaining why, Nicholls added: "I knew quite early on I didn’t want to write it myself. I spent so much time with it. It felt like it needed a fresh pair of eyes, but it’s been bliss."

"Of course we’ve cut things. We’ve had to condense things," he said of what made it into the eventual show. "So there’s still those editorial decisions to be made, but I’ve been so happy with the process and it’s been an incredibly enjoyable experience."