Paul Coleman

Writing BBC One's Car Share

As it's announced that hit BBC One comedy Car Share is coming to an end the writer Paul Coleman explains how the series was brought to life and shares his advice for other comedy writers.

Peter Kay's Car Share to finish after Series 2?

Speaking to Digital Spy at last night's BAFTA TV Awards nominees party, Paul Coleman - who devised the show with Tim Reid - said that he doesn't envisage a long run.

Sometimes the simplest things work best. Car Share is essentially a two-hander about fortysomethings John and Kayleigh; Peter Kay is grumpy singleton John, the manager of a Lancashire superstore, Kayleigh (Sian Gibson) one of his staff whose life, despite her ambition and hard work, seems to be going nowhere. Forced to share their daily commute by their employers, the two at first seemed ill matched, but through the six episodes a touching love story emerges - and the audience see long before them that John and Kayleigh are made for each other.

It was fantastic comedy too, with many of the harder laughs coming from the radio station Kayleigh insisted John's radio should be tuned to - Forever FM - with its atrocious local ads and a slew of Eighties hits they sang along to. There were also wry laughs from the contrast of John's world-weariness with Kayleigh lack of worldliness, not least when she was terribly confused that a man whose handle on a dating site was "Pussy Lover" was not fond of cats.... I initially had my doubts about the fantasy sequences, but theye were sparingly and well used. It's an exquisite piece of work - beautifully written by Paul Coleman and Tim Reid, with contributions from Gibson and Kay (who also directed) - a subtle, slow-burn romance that made viewers laugh and cry, and demanded to be watched again immediately to savour its worth.

Car Share's co-creator on how the show was made

The programme's co-creator Paul Coleman reveals the challenges of getting the show on the road.

The Solihull writer sharing a joke with Peter Kay

Car Share has been co-written by Tim Reid and Paul Coleman, two business consultants who discovered a shared passion for comedy after working together.