Jason Byrne is about to make the big leap from radio to TV, as his upcoming BBC sitcom Father Figure is set to start filming in Elstree Studios, London next month. The show was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 2, but proved popular enough for the Beeb to give the go ahead for it to be made for TV.
As per IFTN, Pauline McLynn and Dermot Crowley will star as Grandma Mary and Grandad Pat respectively, while Byrne will take the role of titular 'father' Tom himself. Cheryl Taylor, the Controller of Comedy Commissioning for BBC, said Byrne was "a bright and bouncy performer, and already much loved by comedy enthusiasts everywhere'. Perhaps that's why the Beeb were so keen to give the show, which follows Tom and his family, the green light?
Byrne's sitcom is the latest in a long line of comedy commissions with an Irish interest. Chris O'Dowd's Moone Boy has already been given the go ahead for a third series, Tommy Tiernan is working on his own sitcom for Sky, and sure didn't PJ Gallagher get the call from Channel 4 about Trojan Donkey just the other day?
Just goes to show you, they find us awfully funny across the water...
