A new sitcom, starring Saxondale and I’m Alan Partridge star, Steve Coogan as a gambling addict will be hitting television screens this autumn.

The three-part comedy drama is called Sunshine, which tells the tale of Bing, a family man who has gambling problems.  It has been co-written by Phil Mealy and Craig Cash, who is famed for his appearance in the award winning Royle Family.  Cash also directs and acts in the drama, with co-writer Phil Mealy also having an acting role in the programme.

Bernard Hill who starred as Yosser Hughes in bleak eighties drama Boys From The Black Stuff and more recently as King Theodon of Rohan in The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, plays Bing’s father, George.

Lisa Millet who appeared in BBC1 drama Blackpool, plays Bing’s wife Bernadette.  Other actors and actresses also appearing in Sunshine include, Dominic Senior in his television debut as Bing and Bernadette’s eight year-old son Joe, Dan Ryan, Rita May, Lorraine Cheshire, Joan Kempson and Geoffrey Hutchings. 

A BBC spokeswoman said, “Suffused with warmth and laughter, Sunshine is above all a heart-warming story about when you reach rock bottom the only thing that matters are the people you love.”

Sunshine is the first programme to be made by Phil Mealy and Craig Cash’s independent production company called Jellylegs.  Nicola Shindler, chief executive of independent production company Red, is the executive producer of the sitcom.

Sunshine was commissioned for the BBC by comedy controller, Lucy Lumsden and fiction controller, Jane Tranter.

Speaking about the new programme, Lucy Lumsden said, “With the combined talents of Craig Cash, Phil Mealy and Steve Coogan, Sunshine is a significant comedy drama from the north for BBC1.  We are delighted to be working with Jellylegs on their inaugural production for BBC comedy.”

Filming is already underway for the three-part series in a location near Stockport as well as in Salford.  It has been planned to be shown on BBC1 this autumn.

Source:http://www.onlinecasinopress.co.uk/