SARA WALLIS
Morgan, Joe Wilkinson, Sue Johnston, Ben Rufus Green and Bobby Ball
GOLD, 10pm
IF you’ve ever had a conversation about how strange your family are – surely most of us have? – this brilliantly witty new comedy will be totally relatable.
Starring Joe Wilkinson, who co-wrote the three-parter with David Earl, a cracking cast includes Diane Morgan, Sue Johnston, Bobby Ball, Nigel Havers and Sarah Parish.
A gentle but well-observed family sitcom, it has a Royle Family feel to it, as they all sit around the house, mildly irritating each other.
Simon and his new girlfriend Donna (Wilkinson and Morgan) are heading to his family home on the Isle of Wight to spend a long weekend with his overbearing relatives.
Doting mum Sue (Johnston) is a delight, obsessing – as many mums do – over the tiniest of details.
Do they need spare duvets, extra pillows, more pie? Should they eat lunch in the garden? What about the midges? Napkin anyone?
Meanwhile, her husband Ray (Ball) is cross that Simon didn’t taken the fastest route and hasn’t parked the car in the right spot. Anyone who has any relatives will recognise these arguments.
Elsewhere, Simon’s stepbrother David (Ben Rufus Green) is obsessed with having selfies with celebrities and is planning his next stalking activity.
If that wasn’t enough, Simon’s father Larry (Havers) and his new girlfriend Melissa (Parish) are causing tensions to rise.
Can Simon survive a long (very long) birthday weekend with his family without losing his cool? Can anyone?
Continues tomorrow and concludes on Thursday.