Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh star as father and son, Ken and Richard Pritchard, in new six-part comedy series Only Child.
Bit-part actor Richard’s long overdue visit to recently widowed Ken makes him realise his dad may need a bit more full time help. Not that Ken would agree, of course, but that statement is pretty much true about anything. An eccentric, strong-willed technophobe, Ken is set in his ways, leaving Richard worrying about his dad growing old.
Written by Bryce Hart, Only Child features domestic and inter-generational differences and neighbourly squabbles, all told through the lens of Richard and Ken’s comedic relationship.
As well as Fisher and McHugh, Only Child showcases Scottish and Irish talent including Amy Lennox (Holby City, Shetland), Stuart Bowman (Rebus, Guilt, Gary Tank Commander), Forbes Masson (The Crown, EastEnders), Clare Barrett (Fair City, Sisters), Robin Laing (Guilt, The Gold) and Paul Rattray (Jamestown, Game of Thrones).
A new collaboration from BBC Comedy and BBC Scotland, Only Child is made by Happy Tramp North and was commissioned by Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland and Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy.
Watch all episodes of Only Child on BBC iPlayer on Thursday 21 November
Watch Only Child on BBC Scotland on Thursday 21 November and BBC One on Friday 22 November
Recently widowed Ken Pritchard is the archetypal old Dad who stopped paying attention to any kind of world developments - be it technological or social - in about 1987. Ken worked as a train conductor until his struggles to use the card machine resulted in huge delays and he was ‘encouraged’ to retire. He’s an eccentric in the truest sense of the word. Fast-talking, never wrong and with a sneeze volume that could stop traffic, Ken approaches every situation in the same manner – headfirst.
What's the relationship like between Ken and Richard?
This is like being in the psychiatrist's chair or something. What's the relationship? I'm his daddy and he's my son and I suppose the relationship is quite a wee bit tricky because I'm maybe slightly dotted, old.
I play the older member of the cast, surprisingly enough. And he's [Greg McHugh] the younger chap. And I'm maybe slightly on the eccentric side, shall we say. And he’s [Ken] a bit of a hoarder, and his memory maybe isn't as sharp as it should be. A bit like me, actually. I'm an absolute bloody shoo-in for this part. Because all these things are true of me.
What brings Richard back to live with his dad?
A train. He comes on a train and he arrives in Forres Station…and all because that's what it said on the script. I think he's probably, a bit p*ssed off with London because things aren't going his way. Like most children, they always turn up and say: “My dad will help me out”.
I think, on the face of it, and for the purposes of this programme, he's probably a wee bit concerned about his dad. I think he's concerned, but it happens by an accident as well, as all good comedy does.
What other characters do we meet in Only Child?
There's Rod who's next door, played by Stuart Bowman, who's good fun. Oh yes, there's an absolute nutcase of a character called Digsy [played by Paul Rattray] who's a nutcase, but he's very charming at the same time, and he's a bit of a, he's always stealing things, bikes and sausages and the like. Sausages? Yes. Tune in. It's hard to believe, but it's true.
What can viewers expect from this new comedy series?
You might be able to giggle now and again, comedy series…that gives you the clue! It's not going to be some sort of documentary. Nothing too difficult to understand. Just a bit of, a half an hour of sheer unadulterated pleasure.
What has it been like working with Greg McHugh?
Pretty average. He's quite young. He's got a great deal to learn. He goes out at night. He turns up. He knows the words, he's not very good at hitting the mark. He causes a bit of trouble with the cameraman. And sometimes he stands in my light. I don't think it's deliberate. I think it's just, stupidity, really.
Do you relate to Ken at all?
Not at all. No, I'm not a bit like Ken. I look a bit like him, but that's where the similarity ends. Ken's a bit of a…whereas I am a man of the world. Sophisticated kind of guy, I've really got to dig deep to find Ken.
Greg McHugh (Richard Pritchard)
Richard Pritchard grew up wishing he had the superpower of invisibility. Not for any noble cause but just to disappear when his dad would embarrass him – or ‘every day’ as he called it. A bit-part actor, he moved to London at the first opportunity, finding fame (well, in Forres anyway) as Doctor Sparrow in the daytime TV drama Detective Manners. As much as he protests, deep down he loves that he’s the most famous person to hail from his hometown. Richard’s relationship with his dad is three parts frustration and equal parts guilt and love. One thing that being home might help him with is asking out Emily – the love of his life.
So, what's the relationship like between Ken and Richard?
The relationship between Ken and Richard is complex. Richard loves Ken, Ken loves Richard but like all families, they don't get on all the time. And in fact, the more time they spend together, the less they tend to get on. And it's just kind of like every family really, or many families in that respect.
What brings Richard back to live with his dad?
Well, it's a combination of things. Richard is an actor whose career isn't going terribly well…there's no reflection on me personally about this! And he [Richard] goes and moves back in with his dad [Ken]. He's not working very much, his mum has died a year before…and so he goes back to see his dad to kind of help him adjust to life as a widower.
What other characters feature in Only Child?
Oh, we meet a selection of fantastic characters in Only Child. We meet Emily who's the neighbour who Richard quite fancies but doesn't know how to behave around. We have Digsy who's the local, slightly mad man who can't stop stealing things played by Paul Rattray - a fantastic character. We've got Rod, who lives next door, played by Stuart Bowman, who…cannot judge social situations very well at all.
So, we've got a huge range of people that you come and meet that Richard has to navigate, via his dad, who's also driving him mad. So, there's a real clash of characters.
What can viewers expect from this new comedy series?
Relatable material in that it's about a son - that could be a daughter - who moves home to really look at the inevitable issue of parents growing older and how you have to cope with that and their idiosyncrasies.
Have you and Gregor ever worked together before?
When I was not long into drama school, I did a couple of episodes of Rab C Nesbitt in my youth and I was so nervous to, act opposite him I couldn't say my lines. Whereas this time round, I still can't say my lines but I'm not as nervous.
And what has it been like working together?
Working on Only Child has been amazing, and I have absolutely loved it. So, I hope the audiences enjoy it, we think we're making a good show. Bryce Hart has written really beautiful scripts which have got heart and comedy.
Do you relate to your character at all?
I think this is probably the closest I have played to myself in terms of a character. I'm not Richard, I sometimes find him a bit annoying. Although, people might say that about me, who know me. So, I can relate to Richard a lot.
Obviously, I'm an actor for a living…I understand the ups and downs. I also understand the reality of coping with slightly older parents, who I'm very lucky to still have…but who are also maddening.
What do you love most about your character, Richard?
I love the fact that Richard does care about people. I like that element to him, because he does care about people and I think that's important in terms of what he invests in people. But, with that, he's also quite irritating. He's actually quite manipulative, Richard, in what he does.
He's an actor and he doesn't ever forget that. So actually, he seems lovely, but there's a side to him that's just a bit self-involved. He's an odd one. He seems nice, but actually he's a bit of an idiot.
Picture: Happy Tramp North; Graeme Hunter
