Breeders to co-star Daisy Haggard

Sky has picked up Martin Freeman’s parenting comedy Breeders for a full ten-part series.

The Sherlock star will star opposite Uncle's Daisy Haggard in the comedy, about how it is possible to simultaneously ‘love your child to the horizon of the universe, while being apoplectically angry enough to want to send them there’. 

Freeman originated the idea with Back and Veep writer Simon Blackwell and comedian-turned-director Chris Addison

Freeman said: ‘I’m excited to be making Breeders with a team that can make me laugh while we look at some of the less-discussed truths and challenges of being a parent. I really love this project.’

And Sky’s head of comedy, Jon Mountague, said: ‘Imagine a parent gazing lovingly into the eyes of their newborn – that’s how proud we at Sky are with Breeders. Brilliant scripts which see parenting through such an authentic and hilarious lens. 

‘Martin, Chris and Simon are an unstoppable comic force, but I can’t vouch for them as parents. Together they’re bringing the kind of premium quality comedy our customers have come to expect. We can’t wait to show the world our new baby.’

The show will air on Sky One in 2020 and  is Freeman's first recurring role on a British TV comedy since the 2009 ITV bodyswap saga Boy Meets Girl.

It will be made by Avalon Television, as a co-commission with Sky’s American sister broadcaster and production company, FX.

In March, Chortle reported how The Inbetweeners director Ben Palmer shot a pilot which co-starred  Michael Gambon.

Blackwell said: ‘I am very excited about making Breeders, to the point of being told to go to bed and stop showing off.’

And  Addison added: ‘We’re very excited that FX and Sky have agreed to finance what is effectively us working through some of our own issues in the form of ten half-hour sitcom episodes. Usually you have to pay for your own therapy.’

Made by: Avalon Television for for Sky, FX Networks and FX Productions
Executive producers: Simon Blackwell, Chris Addison, Martin Freeman, Michael Wigg; plus  Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett and  Jon Thoday from Avalon Television
Commissioned by: Zai Bennett and Jon Mountague for Sky; and Nick Grad and Eric Schrier for FX
Commissioning editor for Sky: Josh Cole

Published: 15 Oct 2018