There was much excitement last year at The Edinburgh Television Festival when it was announced that BBC2 was set to make history by ordering the UK’s first transgender sitcom ‘Boy Meets Girl’.
Created by Elliott Kerrigan and written by Kerrigan, Simon Carlyle and Andrew Mettam the North-East set comedy was discovered through the Trans Comedy Award – a BBC talent search, through the BBC Writers Room, which offered aspiring writers up to £5,000 for the best script that promoted a positive portrayal of transgender characters. The series was then commissioned following a screening of the pilot at the BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase in March 2014.
Boy Meets Girl starts when we meet Leo who has had a bad day. He’s been fired (again), is being given a hard time by his mum and, to cap it all ends up playing gooseberry to his brother on their night out. But then he bumps into Judy and finds himself deeply attracted to this surprising and beguiling woman. They bond over drinks and, unfazed by the fact that there’s a bit of an age gap between them, arrange to meet the following evening. Leo’s mother is unhappy that he’s having dinner with an older woman. But Leo doesn’t care what she thinks; he knows that he’s just met someone very special.
The picture attached shows Harry Hepple (Misfits, Hustle) who plays Leo, Rebecca Root (Normal) who plays Judy and Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Benidorm) who plays Pam, Leo’s mother. Other cast includes Janine Duvitski (Benidorm), Nigel Betts (Emmerdale), Lizzie Roper (Hollyoaks) and Jonny Dixon (Coronation Street).
Kristian Smith, BBC Commissioning Editor said “Boy Meets Girl is a heart-warming romantic comedy that draws on the glorious differences that shape all of us. It’s a brilliant thing to be able to support comedy that is not only funny, but can also promote affirming messages of humanity and acceptance. “
Boy Meets Girl will be the first BBC comedy to prominently feature transgender issues.
Filming is in and around Manchester and on location in the North East.
Exec Producer for BBC.Kristian Smith
Exec Producer for Tiger Aspect. Sophie Clarke-Jervoise
Producer.Margot Gavan Duffy
Director. Paul Walker
