Sarah Hadland, Shobna Gulati, Paul Whitehouse, Jason Manford and Lee Mack among the stars making an appearance in new series
Friday 5 February 2021
Following on from 2019's hugely popular Dial M for Middlesbrough, the next installment of Gold's hit UKTV Original comedy murder mystery franchise returns this Spring. Three-parter Murder, They Hope will see three times as many comedy capers as Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson reprise their roles as Terry and Gemma alongside a whole host of comedy stars including Sarah Hadland (Miranda) as Monica, Gemma's spotlight stealing sister.
Shobna Gulati (dinnerladies) joins as a series regular as Gemma's sister-in-law and local police officer Vicky, while every episode offers up a brilliant array of episodic ensembles including Lee Mack (Not Going Out), Paul Whitehouse (The Fast Show), Hannah Waddingham (Sex Education), Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts), Adrian Scarborough (Gavin and Stacey), Jason Barnett (Bridgerton), Layton Williams (Bad Education), Nitin Ganatra (EastEnders), Steve Edge (Benidorm), Janine Duvitski (Benidorm) and comedian Jason Manford.
After their trip to Middlesbrough turned a little more explosive than they thought, Gemma (Sian Gibson) and Terry (Johnny Vegas) finally decide to pack up the smouldering remains of their coach tour business and set out on a new adventure as fully-fledged private detectives. Given all their experience with solving cases (sort of), that mysteriously fall into their laps, the duo are confident that it won't be long before they get the chance to put their skills to the test. Sadly, the cases don't come rolling in and the duo find themselves moving in with Gemma's sister Monica and praying business picks up soon.
Sure enough the first case that hops into their laps comes via a local car boot sale, where a mysterious red eyed rabbit figurine causes a bidding war and attracts the attention of the dreaded, but appropriately named, Bunnyman. Episode two sees Gemma and Terry heroically graduate from bunnies to bakers, when they are tasked with getting to the bottom of a poisoned pastry scandal as two rival baking families turn up the heat on a long-standing feud. The final instalment of the trilogy sees the intrepid duo lured back into their old world of coach tours as they help the local police in a county-wide hunt for a bus-based serial killer.
The series also welcomes Gemma Wardle, Ken Collard, Abdul Salis, Paul David-Gough, James Lance, Niall Ransome, George Fouracres, Phil Cornwell, Richard David-Caine, Olivia Nakintu and Ethan Lawrence.
The Agatha Christie-inspired whodunnits have been huge hits for Gold in recent years. Jason Cook's first outing Murder on the Blackpool Express attracted 1.8 million viewers during its first week and the channel has enjoyed success since with Death on the Tyne and Dial M for Middlesbrough.
Murder, They Hope is the latest UKTV Original for Gold, following the smash hit success of The Cockfields, Dial M for Middlesbrough and Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes. Murder They Hope will air on Gold in the Spring.
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Gem Pinkney, Publicity Manager, UKTV - gem.pinkney@uktv.co.uk
Notes for Editors:
About Gold
Sky 110/810, Virgin 124, BT & TalkTalk 310 On demand on Sky, Virgin, BT, Now TV and TalkTalk
Dedicated to celebrating the best of British comedy, Gold is the nation's 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 Dad's Army, dinnerladies diaries and How The Young Ones Changed Comedy, to the feature length comedy capers Murder on the Blackpool Express, Death on the Tyne and Dial M for Middlesbrough. Plus, UKTV Original three part scripted series The Cockfields and Sandylands.
Gold remade three lost episodes of the comedy classic Dad's Army marking fifty years since the episodes were first broadcast and last seen. -Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes_ was praised by critics and viewers and was one of the most-watched UKTV Originals in 2019.
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 / @goldtvchannel
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
corporate.uktv.co.uk |press.uktv.co.uk | @uktvpress
About Shiny Button Productions Shiny Button Productions is an independent scripted comedy production company founded by Andy Brereton, James De Frond and Tom Davis, the award-winning team behind the hit BBC Three series, Murder in Successville, and King Gary for BBC One. Shiny Button Productions is an independent label within Tiger Aspect Productions and is part of Endemol Shine UK.