Comic also describes Philomena Cunk as 'the most pure form of me'

The BBC has reportedly ordered a third series of Diane Morgan's comedy Mandy.

In a major interview with the comedian, The Sunday Times revealed that she is currently writing more episodes of  the short-form BBC Two sitcom that she also directs and stars in.

Morgan also told the newspaper she would like to graduate to writing a show that lasted longer – perhaps half an hour – rather than the 15-minute shorts charting Mandy’s failures in landing terrible jobs.

Recalling how the show came about in 2019, she said: ‘I was offered a 15-minute pilot. I thought I'd quite like to do a little character. I didn't think it would go anywhere, so I just did the maddest, stupidest thing and then they told me I'd got a series and I was, like, "My God, I am going to have to do a whole series!".

‘I wanted it to be surreal, because everything seemed to just look a bit like Catastrophe. Everyone was doing things about relationships and nice houses and beautiful clothes, and I thought we'd had a terrible time, so I wanted to make something really stupid.’

The series has co-starred Michelle Greenidge, Michael Spicer, Alistair Green and Mark Silcox, as well as featuring guest appearances from Sean Lock, John Cooper Clark,  Johnny Vegas, Nick Mohammed and others.

Morgan was speaking to promote her BBC Two series Cunk On Earth, and although she does not write the script for her dim-witted alter-ego, she described Philomena Cunk as ‘the most pure form of me. Without any social skills or education, that is sort of who I would be… I know nothing, so my boredom is real.

‘It's great just being able to yawn in the middle of an interview and think, that's fine, I can do that, I can do anything.’

Published: 10 Oct 2022