Latest news with #DoonMackichan
BBC News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Two Doors Down returns for Christmas
Multi award-winning Scottish sitcom Two Doors Down is set to return with a new Christmas special. Produced by BBC Studios Comedy Productions it will mark two years since the last series aired. The residents of Latimer Crescent will congregate at Beth (Arabella Weir) and Eric's (Alex Norton) house to celebrate Christmas. The neighbours are all back: Christine (Elaine C Smith), Cathy (Doon Mackichan) and Colin (Jonathan Watson), Alan (Graeme Stevely) and Michelle (Joy McAvoy), plus Beth and Eric's son Ian (Jamie Quinn) and his fiancé Gordon (Kieran Hodgson). Two Doors Down started as a one-off special in 2013. Created and written by Simon Carlyle and Gregor Sharp, there have been seven series and three previous Christmas specials. The comedy has seen a steady growth in audiences since the series began, from 1.3m* on BBC Two in 2016 to a 28 day audience average of 2.8m** for the last series, after it moved to BBC One. It has won many awards, including an RTS Scotland Award for Best Comedy in 2024 and 2017, and BAFTA Scotland Best Actress awards for Doon Mackichan in 2024 and for Elaine C. Smith in 2018. Gregor Sharp, who has written the new Christmas special, says: 'It's really exciting to be revisiting Latimer Crescent with all the regular cast for this new episode. Christmas is a time for getting together with friends and family and then becoming low level irritated by them so it feels like they're the perfect group to celebrate the season with.' BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie adds: 'There's something comforting about having the neighbours round for Christmas, even if they bring minor chaos. Gregor and the gang bring the warm laughs, sly digs and brilliantly petty moments that make Two Doors Down such a cracking comedy. Expect it to sparkle on BBC iPlayer and BBC One faster than Cathy can pop a prosecco.' Josh Cole, Head of Comedy, BBC Studios Productions, and Steven Canny, Executive Producer, say: 'We're so pleased to be returning to Latimer Crescent and can't wait for the audience to be back in Beth and Eric's for another tortuous Christmas. Gregor and Simon created a brilliantly funny show that has an outstanding cast of memorable and loveable characters and we're hugely looking forward to seeing them torment each other again.' Louise Thornton, BBC Scotland's Head of Commissioning says: 'I'm delighted to be working with our network comedy colleagues to bring Two Doors Down back to our screens for a festive special. It holds a very special place in the heart of our audiences and we're looking forward to seeing what Christmas treats will be unwrapped with our friends at Latimer Crescent.' Watch Two Doors Down on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist Two Doors Down (1 x 30) is a BBC Studios Comedy production for BBC One, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer. It is written by Gregor Sharp. The director is Ben Gosling Fuller and the producer is Mark Bignell. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy and Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland. The executive producers are Steven Canny and Josh Cole for BBC Studios. Commissioning editors for the BBC are Seb Barwell and Gavin Smith. BBC Studios are handling global sales. * BARB 28 day consolidated data source ** BARB 28 day 4 screen as viewed data source MJ Follow for more
Metro
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC confirms Two Doors Down is returning 2 years after show was cancelled
Multi-award winning sitcom Two Doors Down is set to return for a Christmas special this year despite the death of its creator, Simon Carlyle. The Scottish comedy series, which began as a one-off special episode in 2013, became a full series in 2016 and ran until its final outing in December 2023. The sitcom follows the lives of the Baird, White, and O'Neal families, who all live on Latimer Crescent – a quiet street in a pleasant suburb of Glasgow. Four months before the emotional finale of the show, the series' creator and lead writer Carlyle died aged 48. After seven seasons, three Christmas specials and the death of its creator, Doon Mackichan – who played Cathy Whyte on the show – said that Two Doors Down was finishing 'for now'. This comment was reinforced a year later by actor Grado Stevely, who played Alan Edgar, saying that no more episodes of Two Doors Down were expected. Now, however, the BBC has confirmed the return of a new Christmas special. The main series finished with Michelle (Joy McAvoy) and Alan (Grado Stevely) returning to Glasgow after eloping to Las Vegas to get married, with the grisly details shared for everyone to hear. But to celebrate Christmas, the residents of Latimer Crescent will be congregating at Beth (Arabella Weir) and Eric's (Alex Norton) house. The neighbours are all back, including Christine (Elaine C Smith), Cathy (Doon Mackichan) and Colin (Jonathan Watson), Alan (Graeme Stevely) and Michelle (Joy McAvoy), plus Beth and Eric's son Ian (Jamie Quinn) and his fiancé Gordon (Kieran Hodgson). After seeing a steady growth in audiences since it began, the show has gone on to win several awards, including an RTS Scotland Award for Best Comedy in 2024 and 2017 and BAFTA Scotland Best Actress awards for Doon Mackichan in 2024 and for Elaine C. Smith in 2018. Gregor Sharp, who has written the new Christmas special, said: 'It's really exciting to be revisiting Latimer Crescent with all the regular cast for this new episode. 'Christmas is a time for getting together with friends and family and then becoming low level irritated by them so it feels like they're the perfect group to celebrate the season with.' BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie added: 'There's something comforting about having the neighbours round for Christmas, even if they bring minor chaos. Gregor and the gang bring the warm laughs, sly digs and brilliantly petty moments that make Two Doors Down such a cracking comedy.' Josh Cole, Head of Comedy, BBC Studios Productions, and Steven Canny, Executive Producer, also said: 'We're so pleased to be returning to Latimer Crescent and can't wait for the audience to be back in Beth and Eric's for another tortuous Christmas. 'Gregor and Simon created a brilliantly funny show that has an outstanding cast of memorable and loveable characters and we're hugely looking forward to seeing them torment each other again.' Star Elaine C. Smith (who plays Christine O'Neal on the series) previously said when asked about the series returning: 'I think we have to be really respectful to Gregor because that was like a marriage – they had been writing together for 20 years. 'Gregor's grief will be huge as they were locked in an office together for six months of the year.' More Trending Despite being set in Glasgow, the series is actually filmed in the Silvertonhill area of Hamilton, a town that lies just over 10 miles to the south of the major city. While the critical reaction was initially mixed, Two Doors Down won over millions of viewers and eventually became a warmly received and acclaimed series. By the show's end in December 2023, the final episode pulled in almost three million viewers across all platforms during its first 30 days after release. Two Doors Down can be watched on BBC iPlayer . Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Why is EastEnders not on tonight? Latest news on today's episode MORE: Naga Munchetty 'set to quit BBC Breakfast following bullying allegations' MORE: Who could replace John Torode and Gregg Wallace as BBC's new MasterChef's judges?
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Smack The Pony: Trailer, certificate and where to watch
Sylish and uninhibited Emmy award-winning sketch show starring Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips Year: 1999-2003
Scotsman
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Just helping funny people create magic is such a privilege
Gordon (Kieran Hodgson) enrages Cathy (Doon Mackichan) with his impression on her in Two Doors Down Things are ramping up for the Fringe with meetings, calls and various encounters with artists filling my diary this month. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I was delighted to be on a call this week with the incredible talents involved in Smack the Pony. As part of our 40th year at the Fringe celebrations Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips get 'Back in the Saddle' and are joined by broadcaster Kirsty Wark to take a deep dive into the Emmy award winning show. This week's meeting with Sally, Doon, Fiona and Kirsty will go over the structure and plans for what will be an intimate insight into all things sketch comedy in the 90s and early noughties. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Doon will also be doing an 'in conversation' with her Two Doors Down co-star Kieran Hodgeson as part of our 40th celebrations. Doon Mackichan won the BAFTA Scotland Award for Actress: Television in November last year for her returning role as Cathy in the show. It's so exciting to be part of the creative process for both of these live shows with such talented performers. It's a process that never gets old over the 40 years that I've been running the Gilded Balloon and producing individual shows as part of our programme. Facilitating funny people to get together to create magic is such a privilege. Also, coming out of the Gilded Balloon archives this year is a show Women in Comedy, that I started in the 90s to help women, who were fairly rare in the comedy world, have a platform. I've been booking the acts for this show, which will feature the very best women and marginalised gender comedians from across the Fringe, this week and it's so exciting to see so much talent these days compared to three decades ago. The huge number and different styles of comedy on offer now is so exciting to see and I continue to enjoy designing diverse comedy line-ups as part of our Women in Comedy shows this Fringe as well as our other comedy line-up shows.
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Smack the Pony Back in the Saddle for Fringe run
The time has come – our long-awaited press release has officially been proclaimed to the world, announcing Gilded Balloon's 40th Anniversary programme! I've been working on it for quite some time now and it feels wonderful to let everyone know what we have in store for this year's festival. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Forty years is a real milestone for me, and something that's always been at the forefront of the business is championing women. It's important for me to celebrate women who have worked in the industry for many years and have fought hard to be heard. Therefore, it was of great importance to me that the Smack The Pony ladies agreed to a reunion. Doon Mackichan has performed all of her shows at Gilded Balloon over the years, Sally Phillips and I had chatted last year about her doing a solo Fringe show and Fiona Allen brought a show to the festival in 2023. It only made sense to bring them together to reignite the magic of their Emmy winning series – live on stage. Smack the Pony will reform for a special run of shows Broadcasting royalty Kirsty Wark will be interviewing them, and fans can expect classic sketches they know and love alongside behind the scenes banter. Doon, Sally and Fiona have also let me know that they have written new sketches especially for the summer which is very exciting. Will this mean that they will end up touring? Who knows, but the Fringe is the perfect stage to get the bit between their teeth again and perform in front of a live audience. Another exciting announcement is Rosie O' Donnell, who will perform her debut Fringe show titled, Here and Now. I was over the moon when I found out she wanted to do a Fringe show. She is such an important voice and it's a huge coup to have her at the Fringe. Following her recent move to Ireland, it'll be great to see her on stage on this side of the pond. I feel really proud to have her with us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's a great feeling to celebrate people who've performed with us over the last four decades, and bring them to our stages this Fringe. Jenny Eclair first performed at the Gilded Balloon in 1990 in a play called 30 Somehow – it was a deeply black comedy about a plane crash in Bodo, Norway and she performed alongside two other talented comics and writers, Maria McErlane and Julie Balloo. I still remember how hilarious that show was, and consequently we have been friends ever since. Jenny was the first woman to win the coveted Perrier Comedy Award and since then has certainly made her mark on the comedy scene across the UK. This August Jenny will take part in one of our 40 Years of Fringe shows – a special in-conversation series we are presenting starring comedy greats. Other guests include Michelle McManus talking with various Scottish comedians about their journey into the business, Doon MacKichan will be joined by Keiran Hodgson for a Two Doors Down reunion, and there's one more surprise up our sleeve which we'll announce in the coming weeks. It's been a happy and sometimes arduous journey to our 40th anniversary – but I wouldn't change it for the world. Cheers to 40 Years!
