Created by Early Doors and Not Going Out writers

 Benidorm duo Denise Welch and Siobhan Finneran are to star in a new Radio 2 comedy.

The duo  – who play Scary Mary and Janice Garvey in the Spanish-set sitcom – are recording a pilot of Just Grand later this month.

Described as ‘a family sitcom about a clash of generations and cultures’, the programme revolves around a working class Stockport couple who become unwilling guardians to their estranged grandchildren - ‘a pair of over-privileged and bewildered siblings from the Home Counties’.

Jason Watkins from W1A and Trollied also stars in the show, which has been written by Phil Mealey, who co-wrote Early Doors with Craig Cash, and Daniel Peak, Lee Mack’s co-writer on Not Going Out.

Just Grand is the second Radio 2 sitcom pilot to be revealed in two days, following Romesh Ranganathan’s semi-autobiographical comedy.

The channel has previously aired Comedy Showcase seasons, which included the radio pilot of Tim Vine’s chat show and the Barbara Nice sitcom, also picked up for a series.

Just Grand will be recorded in front of a studio audience at the BBC Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House on January 24. See our free tickets page for details of how to among them.

Finneran was also a regular on Downton Abbey, appearing as lady's maid Sarah O'Brien from 2010 to 2013; while Welch is also known as Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street, as well as for her private life being frequently splashed across the tabloids.

Published: 4 Jan 2017