South African author Jackie Phamotse’s Bare novel series to be adapted for TV

Award-winning South African author Jackie Phamotse has revealed plans to adapt her Bare novel series into a television series.

Jackie Phamotse

The Bare novels follow a woman trying to survive in Johannesburg’s dark underbelly and tackle issues such as sex crimes, slay queens, sugar daddies, money and human trafficking, shedding light on the consequences of pursuing materialism and a lavish lifestyle.

Phamotse’s debut novel, Bare: The Blesser’s Game, was published in 2017 and was awarded the African Icon Literary Award in Lagos, Nigeria in 2018. Her second, Bare: The Cradle of The Hockey Club, was released in June 2019 and Bare III: Ego was published in 2020. Bare IV: Mercy came out in 2022 and the latest in the series, Bare V: Curtain Call, was published in June.

The TV adaptation will be executive produced by Samad Davis (Kings of Jo’burg), Dumi Gumbi (Headspace) and Cati Weinek (The Fragile King). It will be produced by their five-year-old Johannesburg prodco Ergo Distro International and will be shot in South Africa.

Phamotse said on social media: “What is coming to your screens will blow your mind. I guess there is no better team than what we have here. Dumi Gumbi and Samad Davis, I will forever cherish what you have done for me. A life-changing experience.

“I have never been this excited and scared in my life. I’m a writer, I stay in my corner and write, now everyone will literally see my thoughts on screen. That’s an out-of-body nightmare – however, it’s a dream come true. The scripts look amazing, now to find our actors! It’s go time.”

According to Phamotse, the casting process has already begun for multiple roles but no broadcast or streaming partners have yet been announced.