Article by Ben Dowell for the Radio Times
First there was Twenty Twelve, which successfully mocked Britain’s Olympic preparations. But now RadioTimes.com can introduce you to the full line-up of idiots starring in John Morton’s latest BBC2 comedy in which the Corporation pokes fun at itself.
W1A, named after the BBC Broadcasting House postcode, sees Downtown star Hugh Bonneville reprise the role of Twenty Twelve’s Ian Fletcher, the head of the fictional Olympic Deliverance Commission.
Now he has a new job as the BBC’s Head of Values, which requires him to “clarify, define, or re-define the core purpose of the BBC across all its functions and to strengthen its future position, in particular for Licence Fee Renegotiation and Charter Renewal in 2016 and 2017”.
Yes, we can see where this is going.
The picture shows the full cast line-up for the first time, proudly adorning the (we assume fictional) Frankie Howerd Meeting Room at New Broadcasting House.
Filming has begin on the comedy which the BBC’s head of in-house comedy Mark Freeland has described as a “love letter to the BBC”.
Thankfully, W1A also sees the return of Jessica Hynes’s hilarious jargon-spewing PR guru Siobhan Sharpe.
Sadly, Olivia Colman – who won a Bafta for her role as PA Sally – won’t be back as a central character but among other newcomers to the cast are Sarah Parish as BBC output head Anna Rampton.
They are, from left to right, Jason Watkins (Simon Harwood, BBC’s Director of Strategic Governance); Jessica Hynes (Siobhan Sharpe, Brand Consultant); Monica Dolan (Tracey Pritchard, Senior BBC Communications Officer); Bonneville; Hugh Skinner (Will Humphries, Intern); Nina Sosanya (Lucy Freeman, Producer); Sarah Parish (Anna Rampton, Head of Output).
The series will be shown on BBC2 later this year.