People Just Do Nothing set to be made into a film following success of Bafta-winning BBC show
IT’S the cult hit of the year which recently bagged a Bafta – and now BBC comedy People Just Do Nothing is going global.
The spoof documentary, set at pirate radio station Kurupt FM in Brentford, West London, was commissioned by the Beeb in 2012 for its iPlayer service and BBC3.
It was later shown on BBC2 and is now being lined up for a film after surpassing all expectations.
The show — written and performed by ALLAN MUSTAFA, STEVE STAMP, ASIM CHAUDHRY, HUGO CHEGWIN and LILY BRAZIER — won the Best Scripted Comedy Bafta in February. Now producers think it could gain a worldwide audience after winning plaudits in America — and even match the success of SACHA BARON COHEN’s Ali G.
Hugo, who plays DJ Beats, said: “It feels natural. We won an award and we are reaching its height of popularity now.”
Co-star Allan — MC Grindah — added: “A film would be a nice send-off. It would be interesting for us as creators to do something different to the series and end it on that.
“This is our thing, without sounding like a pretentious t**t — we want to leave a little mark on the comedy world or in the creative world.
“We have been learning this whole time. To end it before we fully sharpen our swords, we felt it would just be stupid.”
A fourth series is in the pipeline. The guys are now in discussions about the movie project and have recently been in Los Angeles promoting the show after breaking records on Netflix too.
MC Grindah, Steve Stamp and Hugo Chegwin took the radio on the road to play for fans at the NeueHouse, bringing their comedy and music to the City of Angels.
The lads bashed through a set that included garage classics from the likes of Kano and DJ EZ, with Steve taking to the decks, and Allan and Hugo on mic duties.
Before their show, where they were joined by Justin Bieber's pal Post Malone, they told us why the set the parody about a pirate radio station in Brentford.
It’s an ambitious project that even the show’s deluded Chabuddy G, played by Asim, would be proud of.
Steve, who plays drug addict Steven “Steves” Green, said: “We used to say three series was our end point but we realised we were getting into the swing of it, learning and developing.
“So we have extended our cut-off point, we’re taking the opportunities and seeing what comes along.
“We had a plan that once it had run its course we would stop and we already have an idea of what the end point will be and we are working towards that.
“And now there is talk of a film. It would be an amazing experience to make a film. I feel these characters are so fun and you could do so much with a different format.”
One thing’s for sure — this show is only going to get bigger and better.
The show's three seasons are currently available on Netflix Amazon and iTunes, as well as DVD via Fabulous Films/ Shout Factory.
She's Black on cobbles
ACTRESS DENISE BLACK makes her return to Corrie tonight as Denise Osbourne and instantly comes face-to-face with her past.
The ex-Bad Girls star will rekindle her relationship with Ken Barlow who she had a fling with on the soap two decades ago, inset, and make peace with son Daniel, played by ROB MALLARD.
Talking about reprising the role, she said: “I had to go back and watch Denise from the early Nineties, which was strange because that was a long time ago. I hardly recognised myself. I thought ‘God, I’m hot.’
What happened?
“But I have gained a lot of experience in the interim years.” Her ex Ken certainly has too.
Gregg 'n Bake-in
GREGG WALLACE is to be the head judge on new BBC One cookery game show My Mum Cooks Better Than Yours.
The MasterChef presenter has landed the plum role alongside MasterChef: The Professionals judge MONICA GALETTI and comedian JASON MANFORD, who I revealed last month will be the host.
A transmission date has yet to be announced.
In the show, parents will compete for a prize by directing their less-expert grown-up children in how to cook the family’s chosen recipe against the clock.
Just do beans on toast and avoid all the drama.
'Ender beings film bid
LIFE after a stint in a soap can be tricky – just ask JAMES ALEXANDROU.
The actor, who played Martin Fowler on the square for 11 years before leaving in 2007, turned down the chance to return and the role was recast.
And now he has been left using crowdfunding site Kickstarter just to get his latest project off the ground.
James who was replaced by JAMES BYE in the role, is trying to scrape together enough dosh to make a “psychological thriller” called Rabbits.
He has teamed up with his writer-and-director brother Alex to pen the story of post-apocalyptic London and needs £6,000 to get it made.
James left the BBC1 soap after being involved in several big storylines including having baby Chloe with Sonia Jackson and killing Jamie Mitchell in a car accident.
Since then he’s had limited acting work appearing in one-off episodes of daytime crime drama Missing, as well as Casualty and a handful of plays.
He was approached for a return to Walford in 2014 but decided against it.
He said at the time: “The attraction in it would be to see some of my old mates and have a bit of nostalgia, and that wasn’t enough at the time to do it.”
He’ll be kicking himself now.
Soapbox
CARLY HOPE is shocked in EMMERDALE when Matt tells of his true feelings for her.
He leans in for a kiss and begs her to leave with him but she’s unsure of her feelings.
Meanwhile, Laurel sympathises with ditched Marlon, who is down in the dumps. But Marlon also goes in for a snog, leaving us wondering how far things will go between the old flames.
Over in NEIGHBOURS, Paige goes into labour and things go pear-shaped.
She’s left fighting for her life. After just delivering her baby in a barn she is rescued just in the nick of time by her priest Jack Callahan and Doctor Karl Kennedy.
As the priest cuddles his son for the very first time, Paige is laid out on the hay bale, unresponsive.
Jack will be praying for good news . . .
Must watch
WHAT? Fargo, C4, 10pm
WHY? The black comedy drama returns for a third series and this time it is 2010. EWAN McGREGOR plays both Stussy brothers, Ray and Emmit, as chaos ensues once again.