Lesley Manville to return as widowed Cathy

BBC Two sitcom Mum is to return for a second series.

Another six half-hour episodes have been commissioned from writer Stefan Golaszewski and production company Big Talk, announced as the first run ends.

The show, in which Lesley Manville plays newly widowed Cathy, garnered positive reviews from the critics, but it was not a ratings smash. 

Although the first episode attracted 1.3 million viewers, just ahead of the slot average of 1.2million, it slumped to a series low of 778,000 on week four, only to recover to hit 874,000 last week.

The BBC’s controller of comedy commissioning, Shane Allen said: ‘This well-loved and warm-hearted show has been blessed with that rare alchemy of great concept, beautiful writing and terrific cast. 

‘Series 2 gives us a more positive Cathy at the core of this world as she moves forward from the lost love of series 1, all laced with deftly drawn characters and comedy sparkle.'

Big Talk's chief executive Kenton Allen said the recommission was a sign that the BBC was ‘a world class organisation and one of the very best places to produce original comedy on the planet’.

Mum reunited the creative team behind the  Him and Her including writer Golaszewski, director Richard Laxton, producer Lyndsay Robinson and Allen as executive producer.

The series also stars Peter Mullan, Sam Swainsbury, Lisa McGrillis, Ross Boatman, Dorothy Atkinson, Marlene Sidaway and Karl Johnson.

The final episode of series one, set on New Year's Eve, has just aired on BBC Two.

Here is our review of the first episode.
 

Published: 17 Jun 2016