Paul Whitehouse to bring his Radio 4 comedy Nurse to BBC2
The bittersweet comedy drama has been commissioned for a four-part series on BBC2, RadioTimes.com can reveal
Fast Show and Harry and Paul comedian Paul Whitehouse is to make his radio comedy Nurse for BBC2, RadioTimes.com can reveal.
The four-part TV version will closely resemble the radio version which follows Esther Coles’ Community Psychiatric Nurse into the homes of her patients, many of whom are played by Whitehouse himself.
Characters have included Lorrie, in her fifties and suffering from schizophrenia, morbidly obese Graham and Ray who is bipolar and a rock and roll survivor from the Sixties.
It is also expected to comprise much of the same cast including Rosie Cavaliero as Graham’s Mum, fellow Fast Show actor Simon Day as Tony and Cecilia Noble as Lorrie. The show is expected to air sometime near the end of this year.
Written by Whitehouse and his longstanding collaborator David Cummings, it will use some of the storylines from the radio series which has just finished airing, but with new material added says Whitehouse.
He told RadioTimes.com: “This is a labour of love of mine and my mate Dave Cummings and I am really pleased that it is to move to TV.
“We will be running for four series which seems about right as it would nice to break it in gently.”
Shane Allen, the BBC controller of comedy commissioning told us: “Nurse has gone down a storm on radio and we are very excited about the TV version.
“Paul is the leading character comedian of his generation. This is a brave insight in to often marginalised people in society and plays to Paul’s ability to make you cry with laughter one minute and cry with empathy the next as he makes you care about the people he brings to life.
“There is warmth, truth and depth to Paul’s comedy and Esther Coles is an absolute delight as well. It’s a clever way to re-skin a multi-character comedy show away from the sketch world in to something more considered and heartfelt.”
