Here We Go

Here We Go cast interview

Following on from the 2020 pilot (titled Pandemonium), the six-part Here We Go series follows the highs and lows of the Jessop family as they navigate a combination of life's everyday challenges - changing careers, keeping the romance alive within a marriage, adopting a healthier lifestyle, kidnapping a dog, destroying a swimming pool and sabotaging a wedding.

Creator and star Tom Basden introduces the series below, and we also hear from cast members Alison Steadman, Jim Howick, Katherine Parkinson, Freya Parks, Jude Morgan-Collie, Tori Allen-Martin, Mica Ricketts and Ed Kear.

Tom Basden

What can viewers expect from the first full series of Here We Go?

Across the series, there are a few different stories going on, there's Paul's attempt to find a new job and a new direction for himself, having given up on his archery dream, there is the course of Amy and Maya's relationship, there's Cherry and Robin getting back together, breaking up and then and then a sort of last ditch attempt to sort of salvage that.

Really the show focuses on the kind of everyday catastrophes that beset the Jessop's life, some of which are very familiar, things like the family trying to eat more healthfully or trying to go on a day out together, and some of them are quite weird and wonderful, like the family accidentally kidnapping a dog or having to destroy a swimming pool, or going undercover with an estate agent, so there's a real mixture of ordinary family life and quite ridiculous adventures.

Where do we pick back up with the Jessops?

I've tried to move the Jessops on from the pilot but keep a lot of things in place. So Robin and Cherry have now got back together, having broken up in the pilot and they are now giving it another go at the start of the series and Amy and Maya are still together and Sam is still making videos. Rachel and Paul's relationship is still in need of need of a revamp, I guess you'd say. So in some ways, there were a lot of things from the pilot that I felt like I wanted to spend more time with.

How was writing the series? Was it easier, because you had all the characters established, or was it more difficult taking the family out of the pandemic and into a more normal way of life?

I think once I found the stories I wanted to tell and the overall series arcs for the characters and their relationships, it was quite easy and really enjoyable. When I first came up with the idea for the show, it was never intended to be purely for the pandemic, even though this worked really well for the pilot in 2020.

At the time I felt that there were a lot of stories and ideas that could come from the central setup - that the youngest son is documenting the life of his family who are desperately trying to find ways to have fun together despite the world trying to make life hard for them. And I was already thinking about loads of other situations, and places I'd like to put them. When I was making the pilot I felt like there was a lot left to be done with the Jessops, so I'm delighted that I had the chance to do that.

Is there any part of yourself that you put into Robin? Maybe a stash of Goblins hidden somewhere?

Yeah, I did collect Warhammer figures, as a lad for a while and I think my parents have still got them somewhere. To be honest there's bits of me in all the characters, there's bits of Paul that I've said or recognise myself in, and there are definitely bits of Rachel in me when it comes to constantly trying to get my family out the door and trying to take charge but being quite inept at doing so. I think when you're writing stuff you do tend to carve up bits of your personality and to divide them among your characters a little bit, so I'd say I have some similarities with Robin but luckily not that many!

What is it about Cherry that you think Robin is in love with?

Robin and Cherry's relationship is based on some couples I know (that I obviously won't name) where there is a certain kind of needy and vulnerable man who is attracted to a very strong woman. It can work the other way too of course. But I think you see that dynamic play out quite a lot and it's is something that I was keen to explore because although it can be funny, it can also be really sweet when couples find their groove in those relationships and it can bring out the best in them.

Also, because Robin and Cherry aren't living with the Jessops, their relationship can be a bit more high impact, where suddenly they're into cycling or salsa, or they've got a new passion, or something else has happened in their relationship that's quite exciting. So there's never a dull moment for Robin and Cherry and I think that that's probably what both of them find quite attractive about the relationship, even if it's also going to be a source of stress. And I think Robin probably does need someone to sort him out a bit and of keep on straight narrow because when he's not with Cherry, he is completely useless.

You have some great talent involved, when you wrote it did you have the casting in mind?

When I wrote the pilot I did have Katherine in mind, and with Jim and Alison, as soon as I saw them reading it I absolutely couldn't imagine anyone else doing it, they were just so perfect for those roles.

With Cherry, Tori's audition was so brilliant and funny that I was really excited to write more dialogue for her and suddenly had a much better handle on the character. Having made the pilot I could pretty much write for the for the actors and for their voices when putting the series together, which is really helpful.

Within the series, there are certain roles that I wrote with specific people in mind, such as Ray for Tim Key or Frank for Mark Williams.

And what was it like working with Alison Steadman?

Incredible! Alison is someone I've been watching in films and TV shows for ages, from Abigail's Party, Nuts In May, Life Is Sweet when I was growing up and then Gavin & Stacey more recently, and she is just such a joy to work with.
Every take is just fantastic, and so funny and she's always completely in control of where the comedy is coming from, so it was brilliant and a great experience working with her. Some of my favourite stuff in the in the series is from Alison's character, like the episode where she gets a new boyfriend, and she's just she's so wonderful at playing a character like Sue, who is so upbeat and absurd, and sometimes little bit unaware, but then then can suddenly become quite emotional and can suddenly break your heart out of nowhere. She makes it look so easy.

How did you find working with the camera in such a different way?

I quite like being able to acknowledge the camera. I made the film David Brent: Life On The Road with Ricky Gervais a few years ago and that was the first time that I got to do that, to play that game of acknowledging the camera and looking to the camera as if to say like "are you hearing this?" and I think it can add a lot of extra humour because you're able to play with what the character is and isn't aware of.

How do you find the creative process given you are the creator, writer and a cast member?

It's quite a full on, when you're writing and you're also featuring in something. You're also there all the time as you're watching scenes that you're not in, talking to the director, talking to the actors. And I'm sure that they get a bit sick of me but it's also really exciting seeing your ideas come to life, and then afterwards in the edit, helping to make decisions about how best to present them. There were times when it was it was wearing me out a bit, but I think that's just sort of that's what comes trying to make a comedy show.

Do you prefer being behind the camera or in front of it?

I would absolutely prefer to be in front of it if I had the choice, but I think something like this, where I had the opportunity to write scripts and then be in front of the camera is even better. Any setup where you can improvise and play around and try and find funny moments with other performers who have a similar sensibility is pretty much the most fun you can have.

Was there much improvisation on the set then?

There was certainly some. I was always encouraging the cast to do takes where we go a bit mad and throw stuff in and start all talking over each other because in some ways, the show is about the chaos of family life, so I wanted it to feel like we're a real family and that it's not all carefully scripted. Some of the bonkers stuff made it through to the finished episodes as well - like the moment in Episode 2 where Robin and Dean just start kind of chanting for no reason.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

I really liked all the stuff in the distillery in Episode 6 with Ben Clifford, who played Campbell. He made me laugh so much. My favourite thing to shoot was probably the scenes in the Italian restaurant in Episode 5, we were essentially eating pizza and tiramisu for 2 days.

What do you hope viewers will take away from this series?

I really hope that viewers see their own families in this show and recognise the mini triumphs and disasters that families inflict upon themselves when they spend time together and that they'll be impressed by my salsa dancing.

Is it a coincidence that Jim's character plays archery, but then his character in BBC's Ghosts died by getting an arrow in his neck?

I wish I had done it on purpose, because a few people have picked up on that, but unfortunately it just is a coincidence.

Alison Steadman

You've played so many brilliant characters throughout your career, what drew you to Sue?

I just read the script and I loved it! I loved the whole family aspect of it and I thought Sue was such a different kind of character to one I've played before. She's warm, she loves her family but she's also quite selfish in some ways. She thinks about herself, but underneath it all, she's very loving.

I love Tom's writing and I just thought it was great and as soon as I knew that Katherine Parkinson and Jim Howick were going to be in it I thought "yeah I've got to do this!". When I said I was interested I got asked if I would play it as a woman from Liverpool, and I am from there originally, and I love my home city but I've never played many Liverpool parts! I think Shirley Valentine is possibly the only one I've ever done so I thought, "Oh, that'd be nice, that'd be great to do that" So that was another reason that attracted me to play Sue.

What do you like about working with the Tom, Katherine and Jim?

They are fun and easy going, you know, they're all onto it and we have a good laugh together. I don't know how I kept a straight face working with Jim Howick, because he is absolutely hilarious. There were times when he only had to turn his head and that was all he had to do and I was almost on the floor laughing, it was quite tough getting through some days without ruining the shot by corpsing. Tom's lovely too he is sensitive and considerate to his actors, so it was just a really good experience.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

I loved the scene when we were all in the tub in the garden, I just thought that was a hoot! How many times do you get to do that when you are shooting? I had this great bathing hat on, fully made up to go in the pool, so I loved all that. It was great fun.

How would you describe Sue's relationship with her son Paul?

I think she loves him so much and he loves his mum, obviously they have moments when they have little arguments as such, but I remember in the pilot there was one moment when she's talking about a friend that has died with COVID and Jim just put his arm around my shoulder as we were walking along, and it was just so sweet, you just knew that he had a real love for his mum.

She loves her grandkids too, she's a family person. I think one of the most moving moments for me was when she talks to her boyfriend Alf, and he gets really cross when they're in the restaurant and he says "she doesn't care about me, all she wants is my food" and Sue says to him "I'm sorry, but since my husband died, I haven't been able to think about anyone else except my family" and that speech I found so moving that suddenly in the midst of all this comedy, there was a truly a very moving moment and it proved how much she loved her family and that she had really loved her husband, and really misses him since he's been gone.

Tell us more about Sue's boyfriend, what were your first thoughts when reading that script?

I thought this is great fun because some writers wouldn't think of doing that, they would think "oh she's too old" but the fact that is this very attractive Italian guy, and all the family are going "What, Grans got a boyfriend?!" it's really fun.

Have you put any part of yourself into Sue? Can you relate to her in any way?

Not particularly, I don't think Sue had got much of me in her except we're both from Liverpool. So that's it! But I love the family link, because I love my family and I love my two boys and I'm happiest when we're all together And I think Sue's like that she just loves being with her family and just popping round there and sitting on the couch.

What kind of Granny are you in real life?

I've just got one little grandson who's four and a half. I just love him to bits and it's just such a lovely thing to have in the family and he makes me laugh all the time because he is so funny, the things he comes out with, he sometimes talks like a teenager!

They grow up so quickly now with all the iPads and television. We didn't have a television in my house until I was seven and we didn't have a phone till I was 15! You look back and you think "oh my God", but of course it meant that we had other things to be interested in and sometimes I think kids miss out on wildlife and gardens and looking for insects and things, because they've got so much fun to have on iPads!

How does making Here We Go compare with other shows you've made?

It was shot in a completely different way, and I've never shot like that before, so it meant we did very long takes and a lot of them and that is quite tiring but it's also really good because it means that the scene grows as you do each take but I've never worked like that before.

I also absolutely adored working with Will our director, he was such a lovely man and I think producers and directors very much set the tone of the shoot, plus having actors who were warm and friendly just made for a really good atmosphere on set every day. I would look forward to going in every single day and I was really quite sad when it finished. Although I was glad of the rest, I missed everybody.

Does it feel strange to be able to interact with the camera?

Very strange! That took a bit of getting used to, I have to say. You're taught all your life never to look at the lens and never let your eye catch the lens and suddenly we were being told we should talk to the camera, talk to the lens! Oh my God it did take a little bit of time before I got comfortable with that.

Sue has 'seeing an owl' and 'taking acid' on her bucket list. Is there anything you're keen to try?

Certainly not taking acid, that's for sure! Seeing an owl... I love wildlife and I'm always hoping that I'll see this creature or that creature. There is a list of wildlife, a list of creatures that I would like to see. I've seen quite a few as I've been on safari and I've been to South Africa and I've seen elephants, tigers and giraffes and that was amazing!

It's sometimes quite difficult to see a certain type of bird, we very rarely see an owl where I live, yet we have the woods and lots of trees and things and it just makes me sad, that years ago there was much more wildlife around than there is now.

Jim Howick

You've played so many brilliant characters throughout your career, what attracted you to Paul?

At first, the script. I've always loved Tom Basden's writing, he's a really funny intelligent man and I was very flattered that he wanted me to play Paul.

Paul is caught in the unusual position of being a high achiever in his field who is also haunted by his shortcomings. He made the Olympic team archery team which is amazing but he only came 9th in the competition. He's bruised by it all. That and he's lazy. He's an attractive composition.

Paul and Rachel really care about each other, do you think their marriage is a relatable one?

Yeah, I think so. They're very much characters and what they have to deal with in the series is a bit of a stretch for your average 2.4 family but it's all managed by a very real family dynamic. There are moments in the series when you really appreciate the friendship at the core of their marriage.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

We had a lot of fun on the shoot and I have loads of fond funny memories but I think the group swimming pool scene was my favourite. It was probably the scene everyone was looking forward to the least. When the day eventually came, it was a nice day, the pool was warm and all the principle cast were involved. Everyone was game and a bit giddy with it all. It was the closest thing I'd had to a holiday in two years.

What were your first impressions of the scripts?

I genuinely laughed out loud. I loved them and couldn't wait to get started.

You had to learn archery during the shoot - how did you get on?

Yeah I had an archery lesson with Tim Key which was like an alternative comedy fever dream. Best date I've ever had. I won.

Which character in the show would you most like to go for a drink with and why?

I have a real soft spot for Tom's character Robin. He's just such a sweet guy. We'd hunker down and while away the hours talking about Warhammer and Acid Jazz!

Katherine Parkinson

You've played so many brilliant characters throughout your career, what drew you to Rachel?

I already knew what a great writer Tom Basden was, so that's what drew me to the project initially.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

I have lots of favourite scenes - the paddling pool day was lovely because production kept the water nice and warm and the sun was out - I also enjoyed the Italian restaurant day because I'm a big fan of being seated, and Will the director was very kind in accommodating that whenever possible - and I enjoyed the scenes with dogs. The cast were all so lovely and funny that the whole thing was easy - I am grateful to Jim Howick especially for making us all laugh.

You can tell there is a real love and affection between Rachel and Paul in the moments that Sam captures slightly off camera - do you think their marriage is relatable?

I think Paul and Rachel love each other very much but their marriage is not perfect and that is very relatable. I did find myself getting a bit frustrated with Paul - and feeling sorry for Rachel! - but his heart is in the right place.

What was your favourite episode and why?

I enjoyed all the episodes, but it was nice to get to show off my Italian, I think everyone was really impressed.

What were your first impressions of the scripts?

The scripts were some of the best I've ever read, so I knew that we just had to deliver them.

Do you share any similarities with Rachel, that you have bought to the series?

I am I fear more like Paul than Rachel in my marriage - Rachel is more stoic and lusty than me, but I share her rage.

Freya Parks

How similar are you to Amy in your own family?

I definitely went through an angsty phase (sorry mum and dad!) but I actually don't have any siblings so it was fun to have an irritating brother to wind up!

What was your favourite episode and why?

Episode 1 involves two adorable dogs, with some serious dog acting skills. It's a perfect introduction to chaos of the family and the mess they always seem to find themselves in - it's manic and hilarious.

Amy goes for a job interview this series that doesn't go well, have you ever had any interviews that went wrong?

I feel like with every audition I've done there's been something I've cringed about afterwards. At this point I've accepted it's just part of the process!

Did you get any career advice from your cast mates?

The brilliant Katherine Parkinson advised to always wear your thermals, which backfired when we would both overheat, on a daily basis.

What were your first impressions of the scripts?

I had an inkling they were going to be hilarious because Tom Basden is a true master of wit, but I've never read a script that's actually made me laugh out loud! Each character is so beautifully crafted with such detail. They're so familiar and relatable, there's something for everyone.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

I laughed hysterically every day thanks to the rest of the cast - in particular Jim Howick - so that's a tricky one to choose. The lot of us get into a pool at one point which was a laugh because that certainly didn't feel like work at all.

Jude Morgan-Collie

Jude, you are new to the Jessop family. How did you find filming the series?

I felt privileged to be part of such an amazing show with such a wonderful cast and crew. As a young actor, this is my first TV series and I just made sure I took it all in and learnt as much as I could from everyone. I loved every moment of it.

The series is all from your point of view, how do you think that affected your experience?

I actually learnt a lot about what goes on behind the scenes of a TV show like this. I became good at manoeuvring around the moving camera in order to stay out of shot which was quite a skill in the confined space of the house scenes!

Did you get any career advice from your cast mates?

Not specifically, because I was always made to feel an equal by everyone. But I picked up lots of tips from people just by observing them on set. It was a great learning experience for me.

What was your favourite episode and why?

My favourite episode is definitely the one in the Italian restaurant. It was towards the end of the shoot so we all knew each other well by that point so it felt very comfortable and I think that will come across to the viewer. While we were between shots, Tom (Basden) and Ed (Kear) dared me to eat a raw chilli. Silly things like that made filming so much fun.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moments this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

My favourite scene to shoot was without doubt the one with the swimming pool. Getting completely drenched in the middle of a garden with the rest of the cast was just so funny. We were told it would be heated but this was definitely not the case!

I also loved doing the car scenes. Trying to keep a straight face with Jim's one-liners when we were squashed together in the car was impossible for the rest of us which meant we kept having to stop and re-take!

Tori Allen-Martin

How was filming the series of Here We Go?

It was a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside people that I have respected as actors, actresses for so long; it was a dream come true. It's definitely been a real pinch-me moment to land a job like this, and they say never meet your heroes, but you should definitely meet this lot if they happen to be your heroes because they couldn't be a nicer bunch.

I really enjoy doing comedy in general because you have to be able to laugh at yourself to be good at comedy so you tend to meet people who are just a really good laugh and don't take themselves too seriously, so there's a really nice atmosphere on set.

Tom, who wrote Here We Go but also plays Robin my, on/off fiancé in the show is so gracious with letting people try things and we always do a fun pass, once Tom and our director know that they've got what they need and that's super fun and you never know what people are going to pull out the bag. So it's always really entertaining. So in short, it's an absolute dream to film.

Do you think you would be friends with Cherry in real life?

I think I'd enjoy a night out with her, I think it would be incredibly entertaining, so she'd be high on the list for somebody I'd have few drinks with and hit a club with, but I think we're very different as human beings and I don't think I could handle the drama that being her mate would entail. I think I'm too old and chilled to put up with hurricane Cherry. I've got a lot of love for her but we're very different people, so I think I'd have to love her hard from afar.

What do you think is Cherry's greatest strength?

I think Cherry's greatest strength is that she is so unapologetically who she is. Yes, she takes no prisoners and she out-of-line sometimes, she's blunt to a fault.

You know where you stand with Cherry, she's very straight down the line and honest and although that can be a bit confrontational for people, I think it is really refreshing to have somebody who isn't afraid to speak their mind, be upfront and completely unapologetic, and I think she loves herself hard and I think we could all love ourselves a little bit more. So be more Cherry in that sense!

What do you think Cherry loves about Robin?

I understand it could look like she doesn't love him very much at all, she gives him such a hard time but I think meeting Robin she knows she found somebody very loyal, who do anything for her and adores her and I think she likes how she feels around Robin. I think she likes to bask in in the glory and the bright lights he casts upon her I think she feels safe there and adored. So I think that's what she loves about him. And I also think because Robin adores Cherry so much, he put on a really good front and promised her the absolute world, whether he can actually deliver on any of it remains to be seen but the intentions are there!

What were your first impressions of the scripts?

My first impressions of the scripts were just absolute brilliance. I think Tom is an absolute genius as a comedy writer, I think the nuances and the subtleties he gets off people and family dynamics, he's just so spot on all the time. I honestly I couldn't love the show more and I'm so proud to be a part of it it's 100% the sort of thing that I would watch. It's just so easy to get into the material because the characters are so well drawn, even reading them, they fly off the page. I love the show and I really hope people watch because you will not be disappointed, Tom has outdone and excelled himself. I genuinely love the scripts and the people, its laugh a minute. My face aches at the end of a day with that lot, you laugh so much you are desperate to stop, laughing gets painful after a while.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

There's this scene where Paul Jessop, played perfectly by Jim Howick, has a bit of a problem on a bike ride, and we have to get him out of the boot of the car and I honestly don't think we did one take that I didn't laugh at some point. I remember hiding behind other cast members.

I struggled to work with Jim anyway because I just find him the funniest man in the world and he always does something new every take that throws me in the best possible way. It's really nice when we get to do a scene all together and that was one of those, absolutely, everybody's in it.

Mica Ricketts

Do you think Maya enjoys spending time with the Jessop family?

I think Maya enjoys the chaos and the constant back-and-forth that the family has going on. It's nothing like anything she has experienced before, I think she finds it... interesting... and highly amusing to be a part of this family! Along with the all of the craziness in that house she definitely has love for the Jessops.

How does Maya and Amy's relationship fare across the series?

Their relationship is challenged throughout the series - they are suspicious, there's a lack of trust and a questioning of loyalty on their trust and loyalty - but, all relationships go through difficulties and I think they come out the other side with a stronger bond and more love and affection for each other.

How was filming the series of Here We Go?

The filming process was incredible, it was constantly entertaining, and we genuinely had a lot of fun! The cast is so brilliant and I'm just really proud to be a part of this show. There was never a dull day on set and as time went on we all got closer, and I loved how much we bonded as a cast - I made some friends for life on this job.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moments this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

My favourite scene to shoot was the scene in the swimming pool... despite us being in a swimming pool in a garden in England in winter. The scene is so well written - it's hilarious and it was just so fun to film -we laughed a lot both on and off camera that day!

Did you get any career advice from your cast mates?

I can't think of anything specifically that was said to me but just being surrounded by such an incredibly talented and experienced cast and crew, you learn so much from just watching them work and then of course working opposite them in a scene - I feel like I probably learned something from everyone along the way!

Ed Kear

How was filming the series of Here We Go?

One of the best jobs ever. Basically Tom wrote a bunch of scenes for me to appear in where we sat around and ate steak, pizza, burgers and tiramisu a bunch of times from different angles. I owe him dearly for that. He must have looked at his scripts, considered my skill set and been like 'Get me Ed Kear!'.

What can you tell us about Dean and Robin's friendship?

They strike me as two wannabe blokey blokes who just 'get each other'. Kindred spirits. In their minds they're some seriously cool cats too, just not in many other people's! They have similar interests and similar senses of humour. To me, Dean is the extremely ignorant third wheel in Robin and Cherry's relationship. I suspect in Dean's ideal world he, Cherry and Robin all live together in a two bed. He'd see no issue with that. 'No sweat bro, when you have kids, I'll just slide into the garage.'

Dean has no filter and I think Robin loves that, even if it often gets him into trouble. I think perhaps his closeness to Dean is a bit of Robin not wanting to let go and fully grow up. They're basically a couple of 15 year olds when they're together.

There are some real laugh-out-loud moment this series, what was your favourite scene to shoot?

Bowling out of the 'support vehicle' with an injured Paul, aka Jim Howick, was fun. Also robot dancing salsa, which I'm sure will catch on.

Did you get any career advice from your cast mates?

'Other roles won't come with this amount of on screen food, fill yer pockets kid.'