Star Coyle quits sitcom

Coupling star Richard Coyle has quit the show, leaving room for a new face.

His character Jeff will not appear in the fourth series and will be replaced, comic book store owner Oliver, introduced to the show as a Blind Date for Jane (Gina Bellman).

Welshman Richard Mylan, who will take the new role when filming starts next year, told The Western Mail: "Oliver has been in a relationship for seven years and he has just been dumped.

"He is therefore terrible at dating. He runs a specialist book shop, comics, so it is a bit of a geek magnet. I don't think that will help him with women."

Writer Steven Moffat added: I'm having a whale of a time writing him. I miss Jeff, but it's invigorating to have a new wind blowing through the show."

Meanwhile Moffat and executive producer Beryl Vertue have stepped up their attack on the American network which they say ruined the US remake of their show.

They were enraged when NBC entertainment chief Jeff Zucker's suggestion that the show, aired on his network, "just sucked".

Vertue told entertainment website Zap2It.com: "We were outraged, I thought it was a dreadfully vulgar thing to say - unless I'm being too British by far."

And Moffat posting a stinging retort on at the website of BBC America, which airs the original show.

He wrote: "I was barred, by NBC, from attending the taping of the second pilot, and we were told, quite firmly, to take a creative 'back seat' thereafter.

"So! Four episodes in and cancelled. Well done at the wheel, guys! See that thing on the horizon over there? That'll be our fourth U.K. season. See ya!

"Been keeping my mouth shut about this for a while, professional decorum and all that. But with NBC's shameful backstabbing of its own creative team - a creative team who were hobbled throughout by NBC's own continual, flat-footed interference - clearly professional decorum hasn't made it as far as LA."

Coupling writer hits out at US studios

Published: 14 Nov 2003