Joe Wilkinson (After Life) and Diane Morgan (Motherland) are to star in a new comedy for Gold entitled The Cockfields. The three-parter also stars Sue Johnston (The Royle Family), Bobby Ball (Not Going Out), Nigel Havers (Murder on the Blackpool Express) and Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City), and is written by David Earl & Joe Wilkinson (Rovers).
Wilkinson (pictured) stars as Simon, who is taking girlfriend Donna (Morgan) back home to the Isle of Wight for the very first time. There they’ll spend a long weekend as guests of his ever-doting mother Sue (Johnston) and controlling stepdad Ray (Ball).
Simon has been persuaded to mark the occasion of his 40th birthday back at the Cockfield family home and there’s a fair amount of Isle of Wight “fun” in store for the pair of them, alongside interruptions from Simon’s Alan Titchmarsh-obsessed stepbrother David (Ben Rufus Green, Alan Partridge’s Scissored Isle) and the Cockfields’ oddball handyman neighbour Andre (Jeff Mirza, Man Like Mobeen). If that wasn’t enough, Simon’s father Larry (Havers) and his new American girlfriend Melissa (Cattrall) are causing tensions to rise. Can Simon survive a long (very long) birthday weekend with his biological and extended family without losing his cool, or his girlfriend?
Joe Wilkinson said, "David and I adore writing about this oddball family who, despite their faults and differences, love each other. We can’t wait to see our dream cast bring The Cockfields to life.”
David Earl said, "We’re both chuffed and incredibly thankful to UKTV for giving us this opportunity to share The Cockfields with the Gold audience. On a personal note, I’ve had to endure many months staring at Joe Wilkinson’s face over Skype whilst writing the scripts - he usually has food in his beard - so, after all that, I bloody hope everyone likes the show."
The Cockfields is written by David Earl & Joe Wilkinson and directed by Steve Bendelack (Little Britain, Friday Night Dinner). It is commissioned by Pete Thornton, UKTV head of scripted, and ordered by Richard Watsham, director of commissioning, and Gerald Casey, Gold channel director. It is produced by John Rushton for Yellow Door Productions, and exec produced by Lucy Lumsden and Lucy Ansbro.
Pete Thornton said, “Hats off to David and Joe, scripts this good are very hard to come by and they’ve helped Yellow Door attract an incredible cast for our latest scripted adventure on Gold. The Cockfields is a thoroughly modern family comedy about a relatable shared experience – that weekend back at home when your no doubt well-meaning relatives just get more and more annoying with every passing hour. We’re delighted to be working with such a talented team - both in front of and behind the camera - on this charming, beautifully observed three-parter.”
Gerald Casey said, “We’re really excited to be bringing the Gold audience such an authentic, modern and above all else wonderfully funny comedy. The scripts David and Joe have written are a joy and what a great cast too. I can’t wait to watch it!”
Lucy Lumsden, Yellow Door Productions, said, “I can’t wait for the audience to meet The Cockfields, we love working with Joe and David and have been thrilled that their brilliant scripts have attracted such a well-loved cast for Gold.”
The Cockfields is the latest scripted commission bringing together the cream of British comedy for Gold, following the successful Jason-Cook scripted Murder On The Blackpool Express and Death On The Tyne, and the forthcoming all-star Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes.
The Cockfields will air on Gold later this year.
