Sky Atlantic HD announce start of production and casting on Julia Davis’ upcoming comedy HUNDERBY
Sky Atlantic HD today (Wednesday 28 March, 2012) announces the cast list and start of production on upcoming comedy HUNDERBY, from BAFTA® nominated writer and actress Julia Davis. HUNDERBY is Davis’ first series since the award-winning Nighty Night.
HUNDERBY, set in the 1800s, features Helene (Alexandra Roach, The Iron Lady), a shipwreck survivor washed ashore near a small English village. There, she is swept off her feet by widowed pastor Edmund (Alex MacQueen, The Inbetweeners, This Is England 88) and the two soon marry, the puritanical Edmund believing his bride to be untouched by another man. But she has a history, a dark past that she cannot escape.
As Helene moves into Edmund's home, she falls under the watchful eye of housekeeper Dorothy (Julia Davis) who is more than a little involved in her master’s life, and quite obsessed with his dead first wife, Arabelle - to whom Helene simply does not compare. While Helene battles to keep her past a secret, she must navigate Dorothy’s devious scheming, her husband's harsh critique and a potential new love interest.
Also starring are Rufus Jones (Holy Flying Circus) as Doctor Foggerty, Rosie Cavaliero (Spy) as the Doctor’s crippled wife Hester, Jane Stanness (Nighty Night) as local gossip Biddy Ritherfoot and Rosalind Knight (Midsomer Murders) as Edmund’s mother Mathilde.
Rebekah Staton (Spy) and Ben Bishop (Whitechapel) play frisky couple Annie and Tom, who are staff at Edmund’s home. Alexander Armstrong (The Armstrong & Miller Show) joins the cast as Brother Joseph from the local church, Daniel Lawrence Taylor (How Not To Live Your Life) as Geoff, a mute shipwreck survivor, and Kevin Eldon (This Is Jinsy) as a mysterious hunchbacked figure from Helene’s past, John Whiffin.
In a gothic setting populated by the requisite cast of fiends, physicians, hunchbacks, wastrels, maids, crones, and an adorable puppy called Susan, HUNDERBY oozes with the dark and absurd humour that has become Julia Davis's trademark.
Sky’s comedy commissioning strategy across the portfolio, part of the network’s commitment to increase its investment in original British content by 50% over the next three years, has delivered breakout hits including TROLLIED, STELLA and THE CAFE. The acquisition of STRANGELY UPLIFTING and VEEP (Armando Iannucci) together with UK comedy commissions HUNDERBY; and WALKING AND TALKING (Kathy Burke) continues to build Sky Atlantic’s comedy momentum in 2012.
HUNDERBY is a Baby Cow Production for Sky Atlantic HD. HUNDERBY was commissioned by Lucy Lumsden, Head of Comedy at Sky. Baby Cow Productions’ Henry Normal, Armando Iannucci and Lindsay Hughes will serve as Executive Producers. John Rushton (The Royle Family, Sunshine) will produce the series, and Tony Dow (Only Fools and Horses, Nighty Night) will direct.
HUNDERBY will go into production this week and will air on Sky Atlantic HD in Autumn 2012.
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For further information please contact
Luke Morrison - Publicity Manager, Sky Atlantic HD
T: 020 7032 1479
E: Luke.Morrison@bskyb.com
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T:
E: claire.wilson@bskyb.com
Notes to editor
About Sky
Sky entertains and excites more than 10.4 million homes through the most comprehensive multichannel, multi-platform television service in the UK and Ireland. Sky continues to break new ground with its own portfolio of channels: Sky 1 combines its commitment to UK production with the best of the US; Sky Living pushes ahead with fresh and innovative entertainment formats; Sky Arts is the UK's only dedicated arts channel brand; Sky Atlantic is the home to HBO and other iconic drama and comedy, Sky Sports is still raising the bar in sports broadcasting; Sky News remains a pioneer in television news; and Sky Movies is leading the way in High Definition and on-demand.
Sky also works with dozens of other broadcasters on the satellite platform, as well as online and on mobile through the ground-breaking Sky Go service. Sky has also led the UK into the age of high definition television, launched Europe's first 3DTV channel, Sky 3D, and offers customer even more flexibility and choice through Sky Anytime+, its internet-delivered video on demand service. Since launching Sky Broadband and Sky Talk in 2006, the company has also been the UK's fastest-growing home communications provider.
Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates, not least by increasing participation in, and access to, the arts, supporting grassroots sports, and taking positive action on the environment.
About Baby Cow Productions
Established in 1999 by award winning comedy creators Steve Coogan and Henry Normal, Baby Cow Productions Ltd has gained an enviable reputation for nurturing new British comedy talent, whilst teaming up with the best of the UK's established writers, directors and producers.
Baby Cow has produced award winning and highly acclaimed TV programmes for the BBC, ITV, UK digital channels, world sales, iTunes and DVD sales.
Specialising in cutting edge comedy Baby Cow are working with some of the hottest names in this field both in front and behind camera over a wide range of bold and innovative programmes for both national and international television.
Baby Cow’s productions include award winning Gavin and Stacey, The Mighty Boosh, Nighty Night, Mid Morning Matters, The Trip, Ideal, Chekhov: Comedy Shorts, Saxondale and Sensitive Skin resulting in an array of nominations and awards for Bafta, British Comedy, RTS, Broadcast, Televisual, NTS, Rose d’Or and the Southbank Awards.
