Paul Whitehouse has started filming Nurse, a new “bittersweet” comedy drama for BBC Two about a community psychiatric nurse.
The series of four 30-minute episodes stars Whitehouse in multiple character roles, alongside Esther Coles in the central role of Liz, the titular nurse.
Based on the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series of the same name, Nurse is written by Paul Whitehouse and David Cummings (The Fast Show, Down The Line).
Paul Whitehouse commented: “Nurse is a project close to my heart, it’s an opportunity to explore issues and characters at a deeper level, while trying to find humour and hope in difficult situations.’’
Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning for the BBC, added: “Nurse has gone down very successfuly on radio and we are very excited about the TV version. Nurse gives a sympathetic insight into the world of some of society’s marginalised people. Paul is the leading character comedian of his generation and he has the ability to make you cry with laughter one minute and cry with empathy the next with the characters that he brings to life. There is warmth, truth and depth to Paul’s comedy and Esther Coles is a very funny, warm actress who will bring real tenderness, pathos and humour to the show. It’s a clever take on a multi-character comedy show, away from the sketch world, into something more heartfelt and considered.”
Nurse follows Liz as she does her daily rounds visiting the homes of her patients (or ‘service users’ in today’s jargon). It recounts the humorous, sometimes sad and often frustrating daily interactions with the nurse, whose job is to assess their progress, dispense medication and offer comfort and support.
The supporting cast includes Simon Day (The Fast Show), Cecilia Noble (Waking The Dead), Rosie Cavaliero (Inside No.9), Jason Maza (The Hooligan Factory), Vilma Hollingberry (Psychoville), Ben Bailey-Smith (Law & Order: UK) and Colin Hoult (Being Human).
Directed by Ian Fitzgibbon (Moone Boy, Trying Again), Nurse is filming now in London and will air on BBC Two later this year.
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