It’s a family affair for Mitchell and Webb
Back Channel 4, 10pm
CAST your mind back to 2017… It was a simpler time when we knew little of deadly pandemics or lockdowns. Instead, a handful of us across the land were simply looking forward to the next episode of Back, a smart if often dark sitcom reteaming David Mitchell with his comedy partner and friend Robert Webb.
The latter played Andrew, the estranged foster son who returned to the lives of the pubowning Nichols family following the death of their patriarch Laurie. Andrew claimed that living with them was one of the few happy memories he had of his time in care and set about charming the clan all over again. While some welcomed him to the John Barleycorn public house with open arms, his former foster brother, Stephen, clearly hated him.
The first run proved to be the most successful Channel 4 comedy in five years so, unsurprisingly, it was immediately recommissioned. And then everything fell silent and most viewers probably forgot all about it.
However, in late 2019, writer Simon Blackwell announced via Twitter that filming was about to start, and then last year, Webb revealed it was all in the can – and now it’s about to hit our screens at last.
“I’m so pleased Channel 4 have given their backing to bringing Back back for a second series,” says Mitchell. “I look back on Back series one with tremendous pride and can’t wait to be back working with the whole Back pack when we’re all back together making Back.”
Fiona Mcdermott, Channel 4’s head of comedy, says: “Writers of Simon’s calibre don’t just turn up unannounced, at a graveside, claiming to be your foster brother, so it was easy to seize the opportunity to work with him, David and Robert again on this brilliantly funny show.”
During the first series, comparisons were drawn between Andrew and Jez, the character Webb played in cult hit Peep Show.
“It’s been interesting for me to play someone who is a) intelligent and slightly cool, but cool in a different way to Jez and much cleverer and emotionally intelligent and b) someone who might be genuinely a nasty piece of work,” says the comedy star.
“I think he just wants a lot of people to like him. He walks into a room and expects people to be pleased that he’s there and he doesn’t get it that Stephen isn’t buying this and that’s one of the motivations. That’s what I’m thinking when I’m playing him anyway.”
If you’re one of those who thinks Andrew isn’t the kind and generous person he claims to be, chances are you’ll be pleased to see he’s as miserable as sin when we catch up with him again.
He took over the running of the John Barleycorn while Stephen, who’s been suffering a personal crisis, was away and can’t wait to hand over the reins on his return.
But a rejuvenated Stephen might not be stepping back behind the bar – a rival pub is about to open just down the road, and it’s looking for a new manager…