Generation GAMES

ALISON STEADMAN on the return of her family sitcom for a full series

- TESS LAMACRAFT

HERE WE GO

NEW FRIDAY, 8.30PM, BBC1 COMEDY

(BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER)

Back in December 2020, BBCi's one-off sitcom Pandemonium introduced viewers to the multi-generational Jessop family as they navigated the trials of post-lockdown life. Straight-talking grandma Sue (played by Gavin & Stacey star Alison Steadman), her son Paul (Ghosts favourite Jim Howick) and his wife Rachel (The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson), along with the rest of the clan, were seen heading to the Kentish seaside town of Margate for a chilly October break after their trip of a lifetime to America was a cancelled due to the pandemic.

Now, the Jessops are embarking on more madcap adventures in a new six-part series, Here We Go, which sees them contending with runaway pets, sabotaged weddings and disastrous day trips. TV Times caught up with Alison, 75, to find out more...

What appealed to you about this show?

I loved the script and the whole family aspect of it. Sue is a different kind of character to ones I've played before. She's warm, but she's quite selfish in some ways.

I love Tom Basden's writing and as soon as I knew Jim and Katherine were going to be in it, I thought, “I've got to do this!

How would you describe Sue's character?

She's a nutter! But that's fun to play as she's got no filter. For example, in one episode, she keeps asking her son Paul about his bottom because she thinks he could have piles.

Like you, Sue hails from Liverpool. Was that nice to play?

It was great, because I love my home city but I think I've only played two Liverpool parts in my whole career.