EXCLUSIVE: UKTV and Hat Trick Productions have found the two lead actors for Gold’s upcoming comedy series Us And Them. I’ve learned that Anthony Head (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Eve Myles (Frankie) have been cast as the co-leads in the six episode skein.
According to my sources, Anthony Head has been cast as Ed; while Eve Myles has been cast as Lauren. Head, whose previous comedy credits include both the UK and US versions of Free Agents, is repped by Gordon and French. Myles is with Scott Marshall Partners. UKTV and Hat Trick have yet to announce or confirm any cast members for Us and Them, however, TVWise previously broke the news that Marcus Garvey (White Van Man), Daisy Beaumont (EastEnders) and Jeff Rawle (Drop The Dead Donkey) will also star in the series.
Created by Steve Turner, Us and Them tells the story of Lauren and Ed who are madly in love, despite their 20 plus-year age gap. The only problem is that Lauren’s family and everyone around them seems to have an opinion on the subject. Ed’s ex-wife Lydia rents the house opposite the couple, Lauren’s family are constantly meddling and Ed’s friends think she’s a trophy girlfriend. You can choose your partner but you can’t choose your family. Hat Trick Productions is producing the skein with Angela Sinden serving as the producer and Helen Williams serving as the executive producer. Bob Servant Independent helmer Simon Hynd is attached to direct.
Us and Them has the distinction of being Gold’s first original sitcom and is part of UKTV’s aggressive push into originals, for which the company has set aside a budget of £100 million. And while this project marks the first original sitcom for Gold, the channel previously revived the BBC’s 1980s political satire series Yes, Prime Minister. I also hear that the title for this project has not yet been finalised and that Us and Them is merely the working title. According to my sources, there has been some concern over the almost identically titled series which is an adaptation of BBC Three’s Gavin & Stacey that was ordered by Fox in the United States this past May. I’m told that the many titles being considered include You, Me and Them, amongst others.
