Middle-aged comedy to air next year

Alfred Molina is to star in Dawn French’s new sitcom, the BBC has announced.

The 56-year-old Da Vinci Code actor will play French’s husband in the BBC Two comedy Roger And Val Have Just Got In.

Each of the six episodes will feature the same middle-aged couple after they arrive home of an evening and discussing their day’s work.

The sitcom, to be broadcast next year, is based on an original idea by French and written by Emma and Beth Kilcoyne of the one-time sketch act Live! Girls!

The Vicar of Dibley star said: ‘It's a measure of how unique, rich and funny the scripts are that Fred Molina said yes in a heartbeat.’

The sitcom is said to be a ‘microscopic behavioural comedy’ in the spirit of The Royle Family.

Hugo Blick, who co-wrote Marion and Geoff, will be executive producer of the six half-hour shows with the BBC's head of in-house comedy, Mark Freeland.

Freeland has previously said: ‘Not everyone will get it. It's got the comedy and pathos of Marion and Geoff but not as dark.’

Published: 15 Sep 2009