Written by her real-life friend

Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan is to star in a new Channel 4 comedy-drama about female friendships – written by a real-life pal.

Big Mood has been written by Camilla Whitehill, who told Hollywood trade website Variety: ‘We met like a million years ago at drama school in Oxford. She was training to be an actor. And then when we left drama school, we were both in various states of not working and everything being a bit crap... our 20s were like the struggle bus.'

 Coughlan said: 'When I first met Camilla Whitehill long, long ago, during the time of indie sleaze, I quickly realised she was one of the funniest and most talented people I’d ever met. It was always our dream for us to work on something together, and now Channel 4 are making that dream come true. I can’t wait to make this show with this amazing group of people.'

She stars as Maggie, who has bipolar disorder and It's A Sin star Lydia West plays Eddie. They spent their twenties living in each other's pockets but as they look forward to the next decade Eddie finds herself questioning their friendship and whether it will survive.

Programme-makers Dancing Ledge Productions  describe it as ‘a vivacious and rebellious portrayal of female friendship when infiltrated by the complexities of a serious mental illness’.

It will be directed by Rebecca Asher, whose credits include cop comedy  Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Whitehill added: ‘Getting my own Channel 4 comedy still feels like some kind of long form prank, Punk'd-style.

‘But on the off-chance it isn't, I am beside myself to be making this show with such an incredible team of people, a cast that I'd be jealous of if it wasn't my cast, and for a channel that's produced some of my favourite shows of all time.’

And West said: 'I'm so happy to be working with Camilla and Nicola on this project. The writing is genius, and the subject explores the mental health struggles that all of our generation face - coupled with how to navigate complicated, loving and nuanced friendship.

'Channel 4 is the perfect home for this heart-warming, hilarious, savvy comedy and I feel truly honoured to tell this story which touched my heart.'

Published: 21 Feb 2023