Miranda's Sally Phillips is one of the stars of a new comedy coming to Gold alongside Downton Abbey's Charles Edwards. Henry IX is a three-part, single camera sitcom set in the fictitious, contemporary court of Henry IX, King of the United Kingdom. The script is by the creators of Porridge, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais. Filming starts today.

Also appearing are Kara Tointon, Annette Crosbie, Colin Salmon, Don Warrington, Pippa Haywood, Gina Bellman and Robert Portal. 

Charles Edwards plays Henry in a modern story of a forty-something man going through a mid-life crisis – except in this instance he’s the King of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. At his side are Sally Phillips (Miranda, Smack The Pony, Bridget Jones) as his aloof wife Queen Katerina, Annette Crosbie (One Foot In The Grave) as the King Mother Charlotte and Pippa Haywood (Brief Encounters, The Brittas Empire) as Prime Minister Gwen Oxlade, while Kara Tointon (EastEnders, Mr Selfridge) plays Serena, the Palace florist and potential love interest.

Also featuring in the main cast are Colin Salmon (Master Of None, Limitless, Arrow), Don Warrington (Rising Damp, Death in Paradise), Gina Bellman (Coupling) and Robert Portal (The King’s Speech). Henry IX is the latest comedy from legendary pairing Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais (Porridge, The Likely Lads & Auf Wiedersehen, Pet).

Henry IX is directed by Vadim Jean (Leon The Pig Farmer, The Rebel), produced by Pete Thornton (Jonathan Creek, Benidorm, Mount Pleasant), executive produced by Jon Rolph and Tarquin Gotch, and co-produced by Retort and Serious Comedy. Tanya Qureshi is executive producer for UKTV. Henry IX will air next year.