The BBC’s new Stockport-set sitcom Daddy Issues has been receiving rave reviews following its release last week.
In case you haven’t yet heard about the new six-part comedy series, Daddy Issues was first announced back in mid-December last year, with the initial plot and stars confirmed, and was already being described as “genuinely laugh-out-loud” ahead of its release.
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.
Viewers call BBC’s new Stockport-set sitcom Daddy Issues ‘absolutely hysterical’ / Credit: BBC
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.
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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.
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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 it seems that viewers agree with that, as people have been taking to social media to share their rave reviews.
One fan even branded the show “absolutely hysterical”.
Watching @bbcthree Daddy Issues & what a gem of a sitcom it is – @davemorrissey64 is wonderful in it & is a classic BBC Three comedy following things like White Van Man & Ideal – whoever said sitcom was dead hasn’t seen this.
“More laugh-out-loud moments in Daddy Issues on BBC3 than I can remember in a long time,” one person wrote in review on X.
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Another review read: “Absolutely loving Daddy Issues on BBC3. Marvellously written by Danielle Ward, and a fantastic pairing with Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey”, while a third added: “Really enjoying Daddy Issues, the writing is perfect”.
A fourth said: “Daddy Issues has got to be one of the most stupid, ridiculous, delightfully endearing comedy shows in recent years.”
“Daddy is absolute class. Great to see a decent comedy,” another simply added on X.
So, if you’re after a new sitcom to binge that has Greater Manchester at its heart, all episodes of Daddy Issues are now available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Featured Image – BBC
TV & Showbiz
Waterloo Road has boosted Greater Manchester’s economy by a staggering £6.5 million
Thomas Melia
Waterloo Road has boosted Greater Manchester’s economy by a staggering £6.5 million, according to the BBC.
The British high school classic has seen strength after strength following the new BBC reboot.
Waterloo Road first reached our TV screens in 2006, where we saw Salford’s-own Chelsee Healey burst onto the scene as the fiery Janeece Bryant, a disruptive but loveable student who always found herself getting into trouble.
Since then, the school-based drama has gone on to see 14 seasons and more than 200 episodes, with an eight year interval in between, befoore returning to our screens again in 2023.
And with a new season dropping just yesterday (10 September), the love for the show certainly isn’t over yet.
The show has been filmed in Greater Manchester since airing, with three seasons retreating to the Scottish lowlands of Greenock in Scotland.
The first seven series of the TV drama were filmed in the former Hill Top Community Primary School in Rochdale, with the filming location for the most recent season taking place at a former Manchester College building in the city centre.
In new statistics provided by the BBC, it was revealed that the production of the first three new series generated more than £9.5 million for the broader North West area, and at least £6.5 million for Greater Manchester’s economy alone.
“It’s a series that helps nurture and champion local talent and directly supports the economy in the North West,” commented Charlotte Moore, who is the BBC’s Chief Content Officer, “and it’s also part of a much bigger story.
“The BBC now invests more than 60% of its TV budget outside of London – supporting hundreds of production companies and suppliers.”
You can catch Season 14 of Waterloo Road on BBC one every Tuesday at 9pm, or all episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer here.
Featured Image – BBC
TV & Showbiz
Open UK casting call for new Harry Potter TV series announced
Thomas Melia
It may have been just over a year since rumours of the show had been confirmed, but now the search is officially on.
Harry Potter is one of the most successful and cherished franchises on screen, paper, and stage, and the book series by JK Rowling is the world’s number one best-selling in history, with over 600 million copies distributed across the globe.
The new original series adaptation will be produced by the American television network, HBO, known for its involvement in huge dramas like Game Of Thrones and Euphoria.
Currently, the show is looking for UK actors to audition for one of the three wizarding friends.
These roles were originally played by the now Hollywood-greats, Daniel Radcliffe, who starred as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley.
Recently, Francesca Gardiner – known for her work on Killing Eve and Succession, was announced as the showrunner, and she will oversee all the writing and producing of the show, with full creative control.
In the description for these leading roles, a statement reads: “We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting. For every role please submit qualified performers, without any regard to ethnicity, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated.”
Although the statement pulled from the casting call is open to all actors, with no concern over their protected characteristics, this new original series may be affected by controversy surrounding the author, JK Rowling.
She has previously been criticised for her opinions on gender identity, especially in her condemnation of transgender people and the LGBTQ+ community.
Currently, producers are only considering children who are between the ages of 9-11 in April 2025, and the only way to officially apply is through the CastIt website here.
Applications must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian.
Emily Sergeant -
27th August 2024 
