David Mitchell to star in Frankie Boyle's Radio 4 sitcom
David Mitchell has been named as the star of Blocked, a new sitcom pilot for BBC Radio 4.
Written by Frankie Boyle and Steven Dick, Blocked focuses on Felix, an author who is struggling to write something new.
The BBC explains: "Felix and his wife Nettie together with their daughter and her boyfriend run a small theatre on the south coast. They all live for the day when Felix, once a successful writer, will manage to get over his bad behaviour and nihilistic despair and manage to write something good again."
The pilot, described as "a traditional sitcom with an edge to it", will be recorded in front of a studio audience at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on Tuesday 27th May. To apply to be in the audience see our free tickets page
Joining Mitchell on stage will be Watson & Oliver star Lorna Watson as Felix's wife Nettie, with Poppy Rush (Inside No. 9) and Chris Ramsey (Hebburn) as their daughter and her boyfriend.
This is Frankie Boyle's first sitcom project. The BBC stresses that he has only co-written it though, and will not perform. The tickets page explicitly states: "Please note: Frankie Boyle is not in this sitcom."
Blocked is the latest project for David Mitchell. The comedian and actor will also be seen this year in various panel shows, including another series of Would I Lie To You?, and is set to work alongside double-act partner Robert Webb to film the final series of Peep Show, which will be broadcast next year.
On the radio, he presents popular panel show The Unbelievable Truth, and stars in the sketch show That Mitchell & Webb Sound.
Mitchell also has other work on the horizon. Was It Something I Said? - hosted by Mitchell - may return for a second series; and Robert Webb revealed at the weekend that he and Mitchell are hoping to make another series of BBC Two comedy drama Ambassadors.
On top of this, it was announced last month that Mitchell is working on another book, titled Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse And Other Lessons From Modern Life.
Blocked will be broadcast on Radio 4 later in the year. If deemed a success, a full series will then be ordered.
In the below episode of David Mitchell's Soapbox the star talks about signing autographs: