Alongside Sanjeev Bhaskar, David Walliams and Simon Bird

Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has joined the cast of Gold’s new seaside-set sitcom Sandylands.

The W1A actor will play a mysterious one-eyed man in the comedy, about what happens after an arcade owner called Les Vegas – to be played by Sanjeev Bhaskar – is presumed lost at sea

Bonneville’s character works for the life insurance company due to pay out over Les’s  presumed demise after a bloodied pedalo is found on the shore.

He said: ‘Sanjeev Bhaskar disappearing at sea on a pedalo? How could I possibly miss out on the opportunity of a trip to the seaside to help with the investigation?’

The cast also includes David Walliams, Detectorists’ Sophie Thompson and Simon Bird as well as relative newcomer Natalie Dew – who appeared in the West End version of Bend It Like Beckham. She plays Vegas’s 27-year-old daughter Emily, who had escaped her titular hometown for London, but had to return to the resort to put his affairs in order. 

While doing this she is befriended by oddball neighbours Derek Swallows (Walliams) and his wife Jeannie (Thompson). She also becomes reacquainted with her old best friend and extreme hedonist Tina (Harriet Webb from White  Gold); local nightclub owner Terry Chino (Craig Parkinson); and former childhood crush Nathan (Bird).

Walliams’s company King Bert Productions have begun filming the three-part series, which is due to air next year.

Sandylands is written by Martin Collins and Alex Finch of sketch group This Glorious Monster and directed by Michael Cumming, whose credits include Brass Eye and Toast of London.

Published: 2 Oct 2019