The first trailer for a new BBC sitcom set in Stockport and starring some familiar local stars has now been released.
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.
📢 BBC Comedy orders Daddy Issues for @bbcthree with Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey to star
At its heart, the new series is a classic odd couple comedy about two funny, deeply flawed characters, who just happen to be father and daughter
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.
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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.
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The show is written by Danielle Ward, who has notably written for other shows such as Brassic, and In The Long Run.
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 famous names and rising star actors confirmed as part of the Daddy Issues cast, alongside Wood and Morrissey.
Perry Fitzgerald, Claire Keelan, Damien Molony, Sherrie Hewson, Humphrey Ker, and David Reed all round out the talented cast.
Daddy Issues will air on BBC Three and iPlayer from Thursday 15 August.
Featured Image – BBC
TV & Showbiz
One Born Every Minute is returning to TV – and this time, it’s filmed in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The BAFTA-award winning documentary series One Born Every Minute is returning to our screens this week – and this time, it’s been filmed in Manchester.
The hit series ran for 11 seasons between 2010 and 2018, before taking a break.
But Channel 4’s acclaimed series will return from 25 October, following a whole new set of parents as they welcome new arrivals in one of the UK’s busiest maternity wards – Manchester’s St Mary’s Hospital.
Viewers will be taken back onto the wards for a new series of the observational documentary series, following the intimate, emotional journey of childbirth in 12 new episodes.
They’re promising that this latest season of One Born Every Minute will capture modern Britain, highlighting evolving family dynamics, advances in maternity care, and the real-life challenges faced by NHS staff in 2026.
Vivienne Molokwu, Senior Commissioning Editor, Reality & Entertainment and Commissioning Lead for E4 said: “Nearly 10 years on, we feel very privileged to once again follow the journey that parents embark on as they welcome their babies to the world.
“We know the roller coaster of emotions that this period brings is something that will really resonate with the E4 audience, and we cannot wait for our viewers to see how the digital age has reshaped how families navigate this stage of life.”
Will Rowson, Co-Creative Director at Dragonfly TV added: “There’s such affection for One Born Every Minute, and we’re thrilled to return to it. In the years it’s been away so much around pregnancy and maternity care has changed, making this an exciting moment to reimagine the show for an E4 audience.”
One Born Every Minute will return to E4 on Sunday 25 October at 9pm.
Featured image: Rachel Joseph / Channel Rachel Joseph / Channel 4
TV & Showbiz
Mercury Prize 2026 review: RAYE takes home the crown as Newcastle celebrates the very best in music
Clementine Hall
One of the biggest nights in music kicked off last night as the Mercury Prize 2026 was awarded.
If there was ever a night to fall head over heels in love with British and Irish music, the 2026 Mercury Prize made a very convincing case.
Bringing together some of the country’s most exciting artists under one roof in Newcastle, this year’s ceremony was a reminder of just how much talent is packed into the current music scene.
From established legends to the names shaping what comes next, it was an absolute belter.
Images: Audio North
Held at the Newcastle Utilita Arena for the second year running, I think everybody in that room felt very lucky to be there to see firsthand who took home the coveted prize.
The shortlist brought together an impressive mix of artists, with Florence + The Machine, Olivia Dean, JADE, Suede, Pulp, Dave and Sir Paul McCartney among the big names making the lineup very star studded indeed.
Suede kicked things off with ‘Dancing With The Europeans’, bringing their unmistakable energy to the ceremony, while Pulp delivered ‘Begging For Change’ as part of the HELP(2) charity compilation.
It was a line-up that demonstrated the sheer range of music being made across the UK and Ireland, from contemporary pop to established rock and even jungle thanks to Bradford’s own Nia Archives.
And of course, there was one woman who had every reason to leave with a smile on her face.
RAYE took home the coveted Mercury Prize for THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., an ambitious, genre-hopping album that blends jazz, soul, R&B and classical influences into something so fabulously unique.
Image: Audio North
Newcastle’s own Knats performance was definitely a highlight of the evening, combining slick jazz with spoken-word poetry against a projection of The Tyne Bridge.
A fitting image, and one that underlines the importance of holding such huge events in the north and highlighting the obvious talent that thrives here.
The 2026 Mercury Prize was a brilliant showcase of the country’s music at its best.
And with RAYE taking home the trophy, it’s clear there is plenty of ‘hope’ left in British music.
Emily Sergeant -
5th August 2024 
