BBC Two orders Impressions of Fame

Morgana Robinson has landed a new sketch show on BBC Two, Chortle can reveal.

Impressions of Fame features new impersonations of Joanna Lumley, Mel & Sue, Gregg Wallace, Miranda Hart and Alan Davies, as well as her established take-offs of Natalie Cassidy, Danny Dyer, Russell Brand and Fearne Cotton.

Robinson will be joined on the six episodes by a starry cast of comedians and actors, taking on the roles of the friends, family and entourage of her creations as she depicts them onscreen and off.

She said: 'The BBC have given me my show under one condition, I'm not allowed to be myself in it. I guess this is what school prepared me for.'

Filming early next year to air in the autumn, Impressions of Fame follows a successful, non-broadcast pilot earlier this year.

Directed by The Inbetweeners and Bo' Selecta's Ben Palmer, the series is produced for Happy Tramp Productions by Jack Bayles, who worked with Robinson on her last TV impressions vehicle in 2012, Channel 4's Very Important People.

Robinson repeatedly appeared as Brand on Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe earlier this year and portrayed Daphne du Maurier and Mary Magdalene among others on Sky's Psychobitches, alongside her role as the unhinged Julie on Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's recently axed BBC sitcom House of Fools.

And she will next be seen on Christmas Eve in David Walliams's BBC One sketch pilot, Walliams and Friend, alongside one of the targets of her new impersonations, Joanna Lumley.

Impressions of Fame was commissioned for the BBC by Gregor Sharp, who said: 'Morgana is a comedic force of nature who lights up every screen she's on and we've been excited about the prospect of her bringing her singular talents to this new series for BBC Two ever since she came to tell us about it. At least, we think it was her.'

Executive producer Neil Webster said: 'Morgana is about 150 incredible talents in one. She embodies an impression unlike anyone else, managing to hone in on the essence of a celebrity while also adding her own unique comic spin. She absolutely deserves her own show and we're thrilled that BBC Two has given us the opportunity to help her bring a whole new raft of comic creations to life.'

- by Jay Richardson

Published: 15 Dec 2015