First class comedy that’s full of heart
BBC2, 10pm
Sophie Willan has turned her award-winning stage show into this comedy that takes an unflinching look at class, mental health and addiction, while also making you laugh out loud.
Written by and starring Sophie as Alma, it draws on her own real-life experiences spending some of her childhood in care, with a mother addicted to heroin and time spent as a sex worker.
Set in Bolton, the series follows Alma as she tries to get her life back on track after being dumped by the useless Anthony.
We first see her panting on route to the job centre, cycling as fast as she can in her pink furry jacket.
On arrival she explains: “I’ve got no qualifications or job experience but I’ve got pizzazz.”
They suggest a job as a ‘sandwich artist’.
Flashbacks to her childhood explain how Alma has come to be in this situation – cut to a small girl climbing over drugaddled adults to find herself some breakfast.
Lorraine Ashbourne is excellent as her Grandma Joan – a Silk Cut smoking, vodka drinkCOMEDIAN
ing, animal print-loving whirlwind.
Over in a psychiatric ward is her mum Lin (the tremendous Siobhan Finneran), who is battling addiction, has been sectioned for arson and loves ornamental pixies.
Joining the cast of formidable women is Jayde Adams as Alma’s best mate Leanne, a butcher’s assistant with the voice of an angel and the sex appeal of Debbie Harry.
They are all unruly and eccentric, leaving us with a comedy that will make you laugh but also has great heart.