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Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-bridge is back in a new comedy drama about a couple who decide to run away... from everything

Our 52-page guide includes Jaci Stephen’s Soap Watch, your Movie Planner and a preview of new comedy Run starring Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-bridge

Phoebe Waller-bridge didn’t act for two years after graduating from drama school, instead doing various temping jobs. It wasn’t the happiest of times, but it did sow the seeds for her latest TV series.

‘If we weren’t enjoying our temping jobs – or were in relationships that we no longer wanted to be a part of – one of us would say to the other, “RUN!” and we’d do precisely that,’ remembers her best friend Vicky Jones. ‘When you’re poor and powerless, it felt like a comforting thing to do.’

Now the very opposite of poor and powerless, Fleabag creator and Killing Eve writer Phoebe and successful theatre director Vicky have joined forces to create a comedy-drama series based on the idea of quitting and fleeing.

Run has been written by Vicky, and Phoebe both acts in it and is an executive producer. The eightpart series stars Domhnall Gleeson and Nurse Jackie actress Merritt Wever as Billy Johnson and Ruby Richardson, former college sweethearts who made a pact 17 years ago: if either texted RUN and the other replied with the same, they’d drop everything, meet in New York’s Grand Central Station and travel across America.

‘Which is precisely what happens,’ says Domhnall, who was Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter films. ‘Ruby is sitting in the car park of a shopping mall in California when she gets a text from

Billy: RUN. She takes a flight to New York and reaches Grand Central Station in time for – as agreed years ago – the first train out of town after 5pm.’

The bulk of the first episode takes place on a train, which is travelling to Chicago, as Billy and Ruby become reacquainted – and mull over what they’ve just done.

Billy appears more comfortable with running away and although Ruby’s relationship with her husband Laurence is strained, she seems to have more to leave behind. When Billy picks up her dropped phone, the screensaver shows a picture of Ruby with Laurence – and two young children.

As the series unfolds, we see the impact Ruby and Billy running away has on other people,

including Laurence and Billy’s personal assistant Fiona, played by British actress and The Good Wife star Archie Panjabi. Phoebe WallerBridge appears later in the series as Flick, who plays a key part in Billy and Ruby’s adventure.

Domhnall hopes the series will provide some relief from the troubles of the world, commenting, ‘There are obviously far more important things happening right now, but Run might offer a nice bit of escapism.

‘I reckon it will get people thinking. Everybody becomes overwhelmed at times, worries about the choices they’ve made and feels they’ve made a prison for themselves. I think, for that reason, this series will resonate with a lot of people.’

Fiona (Archie Panjabi) A PA to Billy, she’s worked for him for seven years, first as a temp then becoming an integral part of his life. Laurence (Rich Sommer) Ruby’s longsuffering husband has to deal with the challenges of day-to-day family life in the absence of his wife. ruby richardson (Merritt Wever) An architect, mother of two and yoga enthusiast, she finds Billy charming, funny and sexy – but also annoying.

BILLY JOHNSON (Domhnall Gleeson) Successful life coach and author, he’s struggled to follow his own rules for a happy life. FLICK (Phoebe Waller-bridge) Encountered by Billy and Ruby on their journey across America, she’s a woman with a keen interest in wildlife.