TV & Showbiz

BBC gives first look at new Stockport-set sitcom starring Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey

We can't wait to watch.

Emily Sergeant - 28th February 2024

The first look at a new Stockport-set BBC sitcom starring Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey due to air this year has been released.

Further casting details have also been announced too.

It comes after filming on the six-part comedy series, which is titled Daddy Issues, officially got underway last year and has now wrapped.

First announced in mid-December last year, with the initial plot and stars confirmed, and already being described as “genuinely laugh-out-loud”, the show follows Gemma, played by Manchester actress Aimee Lou Wood – who is most-known for her role on Netflix’s Sex Education – who lives for the weekend when she can “get blasted and party hard” in Stockport.

But after joining the mile-high club with a random hook-up on her way back from a holiday to Portugal, she finds out she’s pregnant.

The pregnancy couldn’t have come at a worse time for Gemma, as the only person she has left in her life is her dad Malcolm – played by David Morrissey – who is “kind hearted but useless”, and is suffering from the collapse of his family and living in a bedsit for divorced men.

Gemma and her dad end up living together in Gemma’s flat, as she needs support at a critical time in a woman’s life, and he needs help microwaving rice without it exploding.

According to the BBC, at its heart, Daddy Issues is a “classic odd couple comedy” about two funny but deeply-flawed characters, who just happen to be father and daughter, and along the way, there’ll be dating disasters and failed romances, toxic friendships and messy family dynamics, plus a dangerously-sociopathic antenatal teacher.

The show is written by Danielle Ward, who has notably written for other shows such as Brassic, and In The Long Run.

“It had been a very long time since a script had made me laugh out loud, but Danielle’s did exactly that,” commented Aimee Lou Wood as the new show was announced.

“Then when I heard David was involved, I was even more excited, as he’s someone I have admired throughout my life. Watching shows like Blackpool and Red Riding when I was younger fuelled my interest in acting and so it feels surreal and amazing to be working with someone I class as a legend and inspiration.”

David Morrissey added: “I’m delighted to be working with Aimee Lou Wood as she’s someone I’ve admired for a while now. She’s a truly unique and gifted talent. Danielle has crafted such a funny and heartfelt piece and I’m so excited to be part of it.”

As well as releasing the long-awaited first look image, the BBC has also made some supporting casting announcements set to star in the series alongside Wood and Morrissey.

These include both famous names and rising stars alike.

David Fynn, Sharon Rooney, Sarah Hadland, Taj Atwal, Arian Nik, Tom Stourton, Susan Lynch, Susannah Fielding, Lauren O’Rourke, Cyril Nri, and Cora Kirk are just some of the other actors who have been confirmed as part of the Daddy Issues cast.

Perry Fitzgerald, Claire Keelan, Damien Molony, Sherrie Hewson, Humphrey Ker, and David Reed all round out the talented cast.

Read more:

• Filming begins on new ‘genuinely laugh-out-loud’ BBC sitcom set in Stockport
• Stockport has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2023
• BBC releases first look at new thriller series set in Lancashire starring Jenna Coleman

Daddy Issues will air on BBC Three sometime in 2024, with further details and scheduling set to be announced “in due course”, according to the BBC.

Featured Image – James Stack (via BBC)