Sky bags bipolar comedy

UK-based pay operator Sky has ordered a comedy about a young man with bipolar disorder co-created by Danny Brocklehurst and star Joe Gilgun.

Danny Brocklehurst

Brassic follows Vinnie (Gilgun) as he faces losing his best friend, whose girlfriend wants to move out of the area. As well as This is England star Gilgun, the lead cast includes Michelle Keegan (Our Girl) and Damien Molony (Ripper Street).

The show is being produced by UK-based Calamity Films, whose founder David Livingstone exec produces alongside Sky head of comedy Jon Mountague plus Gilgun and Brocklehurst.

Brassic will be distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment and will debut on Sky1 and OTT service NowTV in the UK and Ireland in 2019. Production will start in September, with Brocklehurst (Safe) writing.

Gilgun said: “Bipolar is a big part of my life. We want to show that you can have mental health issues and in some cases live a productive, exciting life full of adventure.”

Brocklehurst described the show as “a passion project for Joe and myself and we have collaborated every step of the way to create an outrageous, funny, stylistically bold show that brings to life a rarely seen Northern working-class world. This is a big-hearted show about life at the sharp end of modern Britain.”

Mountague added: “Brassic is really different – sometimes raw, often remarkable and always human. Fantastic scripts complemented by an amazing cast.”

Earlier this year, Sky rejigged its commissioning structure in the UK, resulting in the departure of Sky1 and Sky Living director Adam MacDonald.