Trivia / Adrian Mole

• Artist Disillusionment: Lindsey Stagg, who played Pandora in the 1980s television series, reportedly absolutely hated the experience, and it was her first and last acting job.
• Channel Hop: The first TV adaptation appeared on ITV, while The Cappuccino Years was broadcast on the BBC.
• Creator Backlash: Townsend apparently regretted letting Bert Baxter get so old (he was 105 when he was eventually killed off).
• Denied Parody: In universe:
  • One publisher mistakes Lo! The Flat Hills Of My Homeland as a parody of English literature. Ironically it is by far the best reception Lo! receives.
  • Miss Elf's Nativity play in the first book is an updated for the eighties version that she uses to try and get political messages across. Adrian's father notes that it's the funniest thing he's ever seen and asks who came up with the idea to turn it into a comedy. Adrian keeps quiet, noting in his diary that it wasn't supposed to be funny.
• Died During Production: Sue Townsend died in April 2014 with another book unreleased. Whether it was completed or not is unknown.
• Reality Subtext: Adrian's health issues in the final book are inspired by Sue Townsend constantly being ill with different things for the better part of the last 15 years. In particular at that point she was on the kidney transplant list. Nigel's blindness is an allusion to her own.
• Technology Marches On: Adrian is often behind the general pace of technology, preferring books to computers, handwriting rather than typing, using cheques instead of a debit card, writing letters instead of sending email.
• Write What You Know: Townsend struggled as a single mother trying to get government support for her children.

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