Linda Robson & Dapper Laughs shoot crime comedy film Bermondsey Tales
- Linda Robson, Dapper Laughs, John Hannah, Vicki Michelle and Ricky Grover are shooting comedy film Bermondsey Tales: Fall Of The Roman Empire
- Shooting now, the East End gangster flick stars Minder's Gary Webster as the dying boss of a crime family, poised to choose his successor
- Writer-director Michael Head has based the script on tales from his own life as a fifth generation resident of the East End
Linda Robson and Dapper Laughs star in a gangster comedy film currently shooting in the East End of London.
Bermondsey Tales: Fall Of The Roman Empire is led by former Minder star Gary Webster, playing Mick Roman, eponymous head of a local crime family, dying of cancer and seeking his successor. The film also features John Hannah, stand-up Ricky Grover, 'Allo 'Allo!'s Vicki Michelle and The Lenny Henry Show's Vas Blackwood.
Written and directed by Michael Head (The Last Heist), based on his experiences growing up in Bermondsey, the film is the latest production from indie gangster flick specialists Fugitive Film Productions (Miss The Kiss) and has a projected release date of November.
With echoes of her role in Birds Of A Feather, in which she played the wife of an incarcerated criminal, Robson plays Kath, Mick's wife, while Daniel O'Reilly, aka Dapper Laughs, and former boxer Grover are Mumbles and The Cabbie respectively, foot soldiers in the Roman family, as the ailing dynasty attempts to resist the attentions of the rival Scuderi firm.
Wrapping next week, Bermondsey Tales also features comedian David Schaal (The Inbetweeners), Sumotherhood's Adam Deacon, gangster film perennials Alan Ford and Frank Harper, Hollyoaks star Charlie Clapham, plus Maisie Smith in her first significant part since leaving EastEnders.
"Linda's playing a gangster's wife in a very funny role" producer Steve Beckett (My Wrongs #8245-8249 & 117) told British Comedy Guide. "Vas plays second fiddle to Gary's character, his right-hand man, the one who wants to take over as the main boss."
Head's family originate from south-east London, "going back to his great-great-grandparents and his family is well known in Bermondsey" added Beckett. "We're not talking Krays level but pretty notorious and still well-recognised in the area."
O'Reilly recently announced that he will perform a stand-up tour next year under his own name. Publicity for the shows makes no explicit mention of the Dapper Laughs alter-ego, famous for fronting an ITV2 comedy dating series a decade ago before becoming embroiled in a misogyny row.
The stand-up tour is called Out Of Character and promises to address his tumultuous career to date, whilst O'Reilly continues to use the Dapper Laughs name on his social media.