Semi-Detached full series to air on BBC Two after successful pilot

BBC Two has confirmed a full series of new comedy Semi-Detached following a successful pilot.

A one-off episode aired earlier this year as part of BBC Two’s series of New on Two comedy pilots.

Now Semi-Detached is set to return to the channel for a full series.

Made by Happy Tramp North and written by David Crow and Oliver Maltman, each episode of Semi-Detached plays out in real time and is exactly like 24, except instead of following a government agent as he saves the planet, the series follows a perennial loser called Stuart (Lee Mack – Not Going Out, Would I Lie To You?) as his life goes down the pan in a suburban cul-de-sac.

Each of the six episodes of Semi-Detached will give viewers an incredibly fast moving, half-hour window into Stuart’s world.

A synopsis of the show reads: “All Stuart wants is a quiet life as a wedding DJ but his family seems to have other ideas.

“On top of barely coping with a (much younger) partner April (Ellie White – Stath Lets Flats, The Other One) and a new born baby, Stuart also has to look out for his jailbird brother Charlie (Neil Fitzmaurice – Peep Show, Mount Pleasant) and his promiscuous, drug-taking Dad Willie (Clive Russell – Happiness, Game Of Thrones).

“Then there’s the ex-wife Kate (Samantha Spiro – Sex Education, Grandma’s House), who lives across the cul-de-sac with their teenage daughter Madonna (Sarah Hoare – Chewing Gum, Black Mirror) and Kate’s husband Ted (Patrick Baladi – The Office, Stella) who thinks he’s better than Stuart because he sells fish to sushi restaurants.”

Neil Webster, Executive Producer Happy Tramp North, said: “David Crow and Oliver Maltman have not only written the funniest scripts I have ever read, they’ve also effortlessly managed to make the whole series play out in real time.

“And with an incredibly funny cast headed up by Lee Mack, we’re confident that Semi-Detached is going to be a genuinely laugh out loud series. Or your money back.”

Gregor Sharp, Commissioning Editor for the BBC added: “Semi-Detached stands out from the crowd with its combination of intricate plotting and sustained comic action and we’re knocked out by the amazing cast that have come on board to bring David and Oliver’s sparkling scripts to life.”

Broadcast details will be announced in due course.