Doing It For The Kids

By: Ian Clarke

Sitcom Mission 2012 finalist

The sitcom revolves around Gemma, a 45-year-old divorcee with a skeleton-riddled closet. She hopes that achieving the position of charity shop manager will reward her with the respectability and social status she craves. Having worked as arch nemesis Caroline's deputy in a neighbouring town's branch, Gemma finally gets to take the reins of her own charity shop.

She's desperate to prove herself, but it's a tough job: the shop's old, the stock's older, and as for the volunteers, they're definitely not in mint condition. In her 80s, recent widow Pearl volunteers for a number of reasons: to save on her heating; to catch up on sleep; and the copious tea and biscuits. Ex-army man Clive volunteers primarily as a means to meet women, and his complicated love life is testament to his success in this area.

Gemma longs to win the affections of area manager Charles Lamprey, an ex-public schoolboy who was a successful businessman before deciding to give something back to society. He now brings his single-minded, cut-throat approach to the charity sector.

Against all the odds, can Gemma make a success of the shop and get her man?

Credits

Ian Clarke

Bearded misfit Ian Clarke (44) was born and bred in Romford, Essex. Having lived in such far-flung places as Chepstow, Liverpool, Bath and Enfield, he has returned to his roots and now lives in Brentwood, the spiritual home of the vajazzle. With his pale skin and cheap clothes he sticks out like a sore thumb. Funnily enough he actually has a sore thumb, along with a range of other medical conditions. A man of principles, Ian refuses to buy a TV with a screen size over 26 inches.

Remarkably, Ian manages to hold down a job as a Biomedical Scientist in an NHS hospital laboratory, which takes up the majority of his waking hours.

He has been attempting to write comedy on and off for about 6 years. Doing It For The Kids is his third stab at sitcom. He made the last 32 of this competition 2 years ago, and last year had an earlier draft of his current sitcom performed at the Manchester Sitcom Trials.

When not being laughed at by TOWIE folk, Ian enjoys spending time with his partner and their three children, running, real ale and camping.

Note

Performed in Heat 3