Greg Hemphill: 'Living With Mother'

Sherlock's Mark Gatiss among the cast of Living with Mother series two

Doctor Who writer joins an all-star cast including Brigit Forsyth, Tom Goodman-Hill and Alison Steadman in the returning Radio 4 comedy

Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss will be among the cast of Living with Mother when the programme returns to BBC Radio 4 later this month.

The Doctor Who writer will be joined by Brigit Forsyth, Tom Goodman-Hill, Greg Hemphill, Susan Jameson, Daniel Mays, Linda Robson and Alison Steadman in the second series of Alexander Kirk’s family-based comedy.

Living with Mother, which was first broadcast in 2011, explores the dilemmas faced by men who continue living with their mothers long into adulthood. Each of the new series’ four episodes will offer listeners a 15-minute snapshot of the life of a different family.

In the first episode, Gatiss will play a no-talent wannabe pop-star called Marlon whose mother (Jameson) can’t bear the thought of her son humiliating himself by showcasing his 'singing' on a nationally-broadcast TV talent show.

Linda Robson will appear in episode two as a hypochondriac mum who babies her grown-up son (Mays), while Alison Steadman and Tom Goodman-Hill star in episode three as two characters who conspire to stay in a beach chalet over winter as a means of saving money.

Brigit Forsyth and Greg Hemphill make up the fourth episode’s partnership, respectively playing a fitness fanatic mum and her overweight, couch-potato son.

The first series of Living with Mother earned critical praise when it was broadcast, being described in Radio Times as an "astutely-observed comedy series" in which "easy laughs are replaced with a lip-trembling insight into vulnerability, lack of self-confidence and interdependency."

Living with Mother’s second series will begin on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 31 October at 11:15pm.

Source: Radio Times

 

Alex Salmond's OAP recruit in his bid for Victor-y

Alex Salmon might just have found the perfect recruiting sergeant to persuade Scottish pensioners to vote for independence – grumpy Victor from the BBC sitcom, Still Game. 

Actor Greg Hemphill – who plays Victor McDade, one half of the iconic Craiglang double act alongside his pal Jack Jarvis, played by Ford Kiernan – has suggested he will be voting ‘Yes’ in the 2014 referendum. 

The 42-year-old star has so far refused to be drawn on his views on separation, insisting that “there was a curtain on the polling booth for a reason”. 

However, he said on Twitter last week: “Once Scotland votes for Independence, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle will want it too, thereby ridding themselves of the Tories forever.” 
The comment was picked up by the Celebs4indy Twitter page, which retweets comments by celebrities who back independence. 

Hemphill later predicted that the “great cities of the North” would leave England and join Scotland if the Union was dissolved. He added: “We will forever take the p*** out of them for being Southern Jessies.” 

Despite his desire to stay impartial, the actor has made a number of comments on Twitter that appear to show his true colours. When Ultimo bra tycoon Michelle Mone threatened to move to London in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote, he said: “I was going to vote for Scottish independence but now I can’t because Michelle Mone might leave.” 

Source: Express