About a woman in love with a Death Row prisoner

Angela Barnes has recorded a taster episode of a possible new sitcom

In Bird, she plays an insecure woman fast approaching 40, who becomes pen pals – and possibly more – with a convicted killer on Death Row.

Spaced’s Julia Deakin plays her mother and Benidorm’s Perry Benson portrays local golf lothario Murray.

Producers Black Dog Television say the show blends ‘jet-black gallows humour with an unconventional love story,’ and describe it as a highly original comedy about love, loneliness and putting a positive spin on serial killers’.

Bird has been written by the new writing team of Ed Amsden and Tom Cole.

Barnes said: ‘When Ed and Tom approached me with this idea, I was instantly in. And not just because they’ve got dirt on me. Ed and Tom are two of the funniest people I’ve worked with and I’ve worked with Bobby Davro.

‘Filming in Covid times was a little bit different, I still don't know what any of the crew look like from the eyes down, but Black Dog made sure we all felt super safe.

‘It was just brilliant to be working and for those precious moments the cameras were rolling to forget about the pandemic for a bit."’

In a statement, Amsden and Coles said: ‘Angela isn't just at the top of the stand-up game, she's also a hugely talented sitcom actor. Which is why we hate her. Working with comedy legends like Julia and Perry was an absolute privilege.’

Black Dog Television was set up by established comedy writers Dan Gaster, Paul Powell and Will Ing, and their credits include Zapped and the Sue Perkins panel show Insert Name Here.

Powell said: ‘Ed and Tom have written a hilarious script that’s full of great jokes, sympathetic characters and incredibly rude words.’

The four-minute taster tape will now be used to try to secure a broadcast commission.

Published: 30 Nov 2020