This week the BBC is hosting its BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast with comedy director Jon Petrie announces a whopping ten new and returning series which will form part of the corporations comedy plans moving forwards.
One of those new series, Reluctant Vampire, is set to star BAFTA winner Lenny Rush. Based on the books by Eric Morecambe, written by Rob & Neil Gibbons(Alan Partridge) the series is a coming-of-age sitcom is about a young vampire who finds out he is not in fact a vampire at all, and has to live a double life.
Set in a timeless English village, where everything is picturesque, everything,that is, except for the vampires living in the castle on the hill who come out at night for a little drink of the locals.
Val has been raised in a very typical vampire family but has always felt a bit different and hopelessly inept at rising to meet his Dad’s high standards. Following a surprise encounter with his reflection, he realises he is not undead, not in the least bit.
Now with a big secret to hide, Val must navigate finding out who he truly is, by mingling with the locals to learn the intricacies of their behaviour and what it means to be human. Caught between two worlds as he loves his Mum and Dad (not so much his jealous brother) and has full vampire duties expected of him by his father,whose obsession with the traditional way of life is tricky when they’re undead and the villagers despise them.
A heart-warming show about finding your own identity while longing to fit in, and the tensions between family life and social life, and the struggle between conformity and kicking out against the path that’s been prescribed for you.
Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy, BBC says: “‘The Reluctant Vampire’ is exactly the kind of distinctive comedy we’re passionate about at the BBC. Rob and Neil Gibbons have brilliantly adapted Eric Morecambe’s work into a sharp, character-driven sitcom that delivers both big laughs and genuine emotion. With the incredibly talented Lenny Rush in the lead role, we’re confident this will become one of the standout comedies of the year.”
Also announced at the festival today today:
- Diane Morgan sitcom Ann Droid (w/t) about a social humanoid robot designed to keep elderly people company, exploring the hilarious intersection of technology and human connection
- Bill’s Included starring Rob Brydon as a middle-aged divorcee who staves off financial ruin by renting his spare rooms to students
- Small Prophets, created by BAFTA winner Mackenzie Crook, starring Pearce Quigley, BAFTA winner Sir Michael Palin and BAFTA winner Sophie Willan
- Stuffed, starring Guz Khan as an office worker who gets an unexpected Christmas bonus and takes his family to Lapland, only to find that he has to pay the money back
- The return of Only Child, Funboys, The Young Offenders and Golden Cobra
- Ahead of the festival, BBC Northern Ireland also announced Leonard and Hungry Paul, based on the award-winning, best-selling novel by Rónán Hession
