Gold packs a bucket and spade for a trip to Sandylands

17 September 2019 UKTV is building on its successful scripted output by commissioning brand-new comedy, Sandylands, for the nations favourite comedy channel Gold. The 3x40 UKTV Original series, produced by King Bert Productions, starts filming this month featuring a stellar cast, including Sanjeev Bhaskar (Unforgotten, Porters), David Walliams (The Midnight Gang, The Queen and I), Sophie Thompson (Detectorists, Coronation Street), Craig Parkinson (Line of Duty, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch), Simon Bird (Friday Night Dinner, The Inbetweeners) and Natalie Dew (West Ends Bend It Like Beckham).

Twenty-seven-year-old Emily Verma (Dew) is living the high life (or so she tells herself) in London, having escaped the clutches of Sandylands - her seaside hometown where her semi-estranged father Les Vegas (Bhaskar) remains a local celebrity as arcade owner and self-proclaimed King of the Strip. However, when Sandylands becomes headline news after a bloodied pedalo is washed ashore (a bit like the Marie Celeste, but on a smaller scale) - a pedalo last hired by Les - Emily is forced to make a reluctant visit home, where she quickly discovers that all is definitely not what it seems in her old stomping ground.

With Les declared lost at sea, Emily is charged with putting his affairs in order, organising his memorial and selling the family home. In the process of doing this she is befriended by oddball next door neighbours Derek Swallows (Walliams) and his wife Jeannie (Thompson). Emily also becomes reacquainted with her old best friend and extreme hedonist Tina (Webb), who holds the local record for most saveloys consumed in under three minutes, local nightclub owner Terry Chino (Parkinson) and former childhood crush Nathan (Bird). Unbeknown to Emily however, her every move, and every subtle twitch of a curtain at her family home is under the constant scrutiny of a mysterious one-eyed man, whos recently arrived in Sandylands and works for the life insurance company thats due to pay out over Les unfortunate demise.

The series also stars Harriet Webb (White Gold, Scarborough), Hamza Jeetooa (Our Girl) and Bronwyn James (Harlots, Wild Bill).

Sandylands is written by Martin Collins and Alex Finch (writers for sketch group This Glorious Monster) and directed by Michael Cumming (Brass Eye, Toast of London). The series is commissioned by Pete Thornton, UKTV head of scripted, and ordered by Richard Watsham, director of commissioning, and Steve North, genre general manager for comedy and entertainment. It is produced by Rosemary McGowan for King Bert and exec produced by Jo Sargent.

Pete Thornton said:

Were thrilled to be working with the hugely talented team at King Bert on this highly original three-parter. As a father/daughter relationship comedy with a twist, this series breaks more ground for comedy originations on Gold. The quality of the cast is a testament to the range of brilliantly drawn characters that Alex and Martin have created and were very much looking forward to diving into the mysterious waters swirling around Sandylands.

Gerald Casey said:

Were really excited to be bringing the Gold audience this fresh and funny comedy. The team, in front and behind the camera, are experts in their field so I cant wait to watch it!

Jo Sargent, exec producer for King Bert, said:

Were delighted to be working with Gold to bring this three-part series to life. Martin and Alex have written a brilliant comedy that celebrates the great British seaside; full of laughs, twists and turns and seagulls. We cant wait to introduce the world to Sandylands.

Sandylands follows other highly anticipated UKTV Originals for Gold including Dads Army: The Lost Episodes, Dial M for Middlesbrough starring Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson, and The Cockfields, written by Joe Wilkinson and David Earl, starring Diane Morgan, Joe Wilkinson, Sue Johnston and Bobby Ball.

Sandylands will air on Gold next year. _

For more information and interview requests, please contact:

Kelly Phelps, Publicist, UKTV

About Gold

Sky 110(HD)/ 810, Virgin 120/124(HD), BT and TalkTalk 310 On demand on Sky, Now TV and TalkTalk

Dedicated to celebrating the best of British comedy, Gold is the nations favourite comedy channel.

Much-loved comedy series Only Fools and Horses and The Royle Family sit comfortably alongside a whole host of heart-warming UKTV Originals from retrospective series Saluting Dads Army, dinnerladies diaries and How The Young Ones Changed Comedy, to the feature length comedy capers Murder on the Blackpool Express and Death on the Tyne. Plus, all-new three part scripted series The Cockfields airing later this year.

Gold is exclusively remaking three lost episodes of the comedy classic Dads Army, with 2019 marking fifty years since the episodes were first broadcast and last seen. Using the original scripts, which were written for the second series by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, Dads Army: The Lost Episodes stars a stunning cast including Kevin R McNally as Captain Mainwaring, Robert Bathurst as Sergeant Wilson and Timothy West as mild-mannered Private Godfrey.

The perfect tonic to make you laugh whatever the time of day, Gold tickles with universally funny shows that everyone can enjoy.

Gold.uktv.co.uk / @goldchannel

LINK:	https://corporate.uktv.co.uk/news/article/gold-trip-sandylands/...
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