Father Figure heads to BBC One

Filming has begun on Jason Byrne’s new BBC One sitcom Father Figure.

Six half-hour episodes of the show – based on his Radio 2 series are being filmed at Elstree studios in Hertfordshire.

Byrne wrote and created the show, and will star as a hapless but enthusiastic stay-at-home dad. His wife is played by Karen Taylor.

The core cast also includes Father Ted’s Pauline McLynn, Bleak House actor Dermot Crowley and comedian Michael Smiley, as well as appearances from Tim Downie, David Reed, Margaret Cabourn-Smith and Peter Serafinowicz.

Byrne said: ‘So the camera rolls on my new sitcom. The show is an eclectic mix of characters who are all based on my friends and family, and many of the things that happen to the Whyte family are drawn from my own experiences.’

The BBC’s controller of comedy production, Mark Freeland, said: ‘When we first read Jason's scripts, we were struck by their warmth and authenticity. We have a wonderful cast and production team, and the unique and irrepressible talents of Jason. It's great that we have the chance to show this on BBC One.’

Stephen McCrum, whose credits include Mrs Brown’s Boys, is executive producer. It is being directed by Nick Wood, who also worked on Lee Mack’s Not Going Out, and produced by Julia McKenzie, who had the same role on the radio version of Father Figure.

Published: 3 Jun 2013