EXCLUSIVE: Laurie Kynaston (Idiot Me As soon as, The Sandman), Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (Derry Ladies, Screw) and Alex Lawther (The Finish of the F***ing World, Alien: Earth) are toplining Leonard and Hungry Paul, a feel-good drama for the BBC and Eire‘s RTÉ, we’ve discovered.
Primarily based on Rónán Hession’s novel of the identical identify, filming has begun in Dublin on a six-part present and can proceed by this month. We’ve bought the information forward of the BBC Comedy Competition in Belfast tomorrow, the place will probably be unveiled. Within the UK, it should air on BBC Three and iPlayer.
Irish indie Subotica is producing for BBC Northern Eire in affiliation with BBC Comedy, Display screen Eire and RTÉ, with Avalon co-producing and distributing internationally. Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson adapating Hession’s e-book, which has offered over 300,000 copies since publication in 2019. Andrew Chaplin (Alma’s Not Regular, Smoggie Queens) is directing.
The story follows two distinctive board-gaming associates who meander by leafy suburban life, charting a narrative about Judo, historical Rome, first loves and the enlargement of the Universe.
“I’m delighted to see ‘Leonard and Hungry Paul’ being tailored for the display screen,” mentioned writer Hession. “It’s an actual privilege as a author to see my work being dropped at life in a special inventive kind.”
Government producers Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O’Sullivan will oversee the present for Subotica, alongside in-house producer Natalie McAuley. Adam Barth is government producer for Avalon, Kate McColgan is government producer for Fís Éireann / Display screen Eire and different government producers embrace Wally Corridor, David Harari, Morwin Schmookler and Ross Boucher.
Dublin-based Subotica is understood for dramas reminiscent of RTÉ’s The Boy That By no means Was, which we featured as a International Breakout in September final 12 months, and the upcoming Binge rom-com collection Combine Tape, which just lately gained the TV collection Viewers award at this 12 months’s SXSW in Austin, Texas.
Eddie Doyle, Senior Head of Commissioning for BBC Northern Eire commissioned the collection and Mary McKeagney and Emma Lawson are commissioning editors for the BBC.
“This collection guarantees one thing particular and is filled with appeal and poignant moments that encapsulate atypical life,” mentioned Doyle. “With a stellar forged bringing this acclaimed novel to the display screen, it should make an thrilling addition to BBC Northern Eire’s providing this 12 months.”
A supply near the present famous the mix of the BBC and RTÉ highlighted how drama collection produced at “cheap value factors” for worldwide co-commissioners are nonetheless getting made, whereas many different tasks reliant on U.S. pre-sale offers stay “caught in limbo.”
Kynaston is understood for roles in movies reminiscent of England is Mine, Construct a Woman and Muse, and TV reveals together with BBC comedy Cradle to Grave, Virgin Media and Prime Video sci-fi The Feed, Paramount+’s The Doll Manufacturing facility and Netflix reveals The Sandman and Idiot Me As soon as. Theater work contains The Son and The Winslow Boy.
O’Donnell is greatest recognized for her position in Channel 4 comedy Derry Ladies. She additionally appeared in Screw, one other Channel 4 present, and final month starred in Channel 5 drama collection The Feud.
Lawther starred in Channel 4 comedy-drama The Finish of the F***ing World and is well-known for his Black Mirror episode ‘Shut Up and Dance’ from 2016. He’s set to star in FX drama Alien: Earth and likewise has had roles in Disney+’s Andor, BBC comedy The Cleaner and Apple TV+ live-action/animated particular The Velveteen Rabbit.
Kynaston is repped by Conway van Gelder Grant and 2PM Sharp; Lawther is repped by Conway van Gelder Grant, UTA, Leisure 360 and Tapestry London. O’Donnell is repped by The Artists Partnership.
