Stand by your tesselators! This is Jinsy returns to Sky Atlantic HD in January 2014

Stephen Fry, Olivia Colman and Sir Derek Jacobi are among the stars set to appear in the second series of the critically acclaimed and British Comedy Award nominee THIS IS JINSY, which will premiere exclusively on Sky Atlantic HD in January 2014.

The brainchild of Chris Bran and Justin Chubb, THIS IS JINSY follows the struggle of Arbiter Maven (Chubb) and Sporall (Bran) to control the knitwear-loving residents of an extraordinary island, combining colourful adventures, musical madness and surreal invention.

The second series, consisting of eight episodes, will head back to the island to find Maven and Sporall with a host of new characters, some returning favourites and plenty of songs in the finest Jinsy tradition. And just like the first series, which saw appearances from stars such as David Tennant and Catherine Tate, there are a raft of new guests making their way to the island this year.

Episode One will see a guest spot from Stephen Fry as Dr. Bevelspepp, who uses his encyclopaedic knowledge of Jinsy to help save the island from an invasion of rampaging hair.

Also guest starring are:

·         Katy Brand as Madame Astralina, a flamboyant psychic who obtains her readings from a pen of rats;

·         Ben Miller as the Chief Accountant of Jinsy, and his daughter Berpetta, a drunk, hefty, buck-toothed accountant;

·         Dame Eileen Atkins as Miss Penny, a school-mistress with a massive dome of pinned hair who teaches Extreme Etiquette for Girls;

·         Sir Derek Jacobi as Robunce Barnatty, the eldest resident of Jinsy island, at 98 cycles old;

·         Stephen Mangan as Mr Lovely, the owner of Mr Lovely’s Lovely Jumper Shop with a penchant for all-in-one knitted bodysuits;

·         Phil Davis as ex-Arbiter Roley Jenkins who lives in a large Manor House;

·         Olivia Colman as Roley’s wife Joan;

·         Rob Brydon as Jinsy singing sensation, Rex Camalbeeter, who likes dressing up as a female badger and singing about it;

·         KT Tunstall as Meb Twaheely, the singer of Jinsy's third most famous folk band, Twaheely Transfix;

·         Greg Davies as Jennitta Bishard, a delightfully sinister figure who delivers punishments to residents across the island from the safety of her TV studio.

The guest stars join returning series regulars Alice Lowe as Soosan Noop, Janine Duvitski as Mrs Goadion and Geoff McGivern as Trince.

THIS IS JINSY is created and written by Chris Bran and Justin Chubb and is directed by Matt Lipsey. It is a Welded Tandem Picture Company and Tiger Aspect production for Sky Atlantic HD and is produced by James Dean for Welded Tandem Picture Company and Margot Gavan Duffy for Tiger Aspect. The series was commissioned by Lucy Lumsden, Head of Comedy for Sky, and is executive produced by Jon Mountague, Commissioning Editor, Sky Comedy.

THIS IS JINSY will return to Sky Atlantic HD in late January 2014.

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Notes to editor

For more information contact:

Claire Wilson                           

Head of Infod, Jinsy Island

T: +44 (0)20 7032 3071                         

M: +44 (0)7920 027 764                                

claire.wilson@bskyb.com   

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