Juliet Stevenson is to play Sara Pascoe's mother in the comic's BBC Two sitcom, Chortle can reveal.

Out Of Her Mind, which was originally announced last August, also features The Split star Fiona Button playing Pascoe's sister and Cariad Lloyd in an as-yet unannounced role.

'Out Of Her Mind is a direct expression of my mind' Pascoe told Chortle. 'We've turned my brain into a theme-park, and everyone's invited! The cast are incredible and I can't wait for people to see what we've made.'

Shot at Ealing Studios and on location in December and January, Out Of Her Mind subverts the traditional sitcom format by breaking out of the narrative for surreal asides and factual insight.

Pascoe posted a photo of herself on set in a sparkly leotard for a rollerboot scene with Button, writing: 'Wish me luck in my year 9 gymnastics competition'.

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Wish me luck in my year 9 gymnastics competition

A post shared by Sara Pascoe (@sara.pascoe) on Jan 24, 2020 at 5:25am PST

And another of herself in drag with Lloyd, with the caption: 'Finally @cariadlloyd agreed to be my unlawful wife.'

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Finally @cariadlloyd agreed to be my unlawful wife.

A post shared by Sara Pascoe (@sara.pascoe) on Jan 11, 2020 at 11:25am PST

Over the series Pascoe explores why everyone else is pairing up and having babies and sets out on a mission to understand them. She tries to prove that romantic love is mere chemicals and conditioning and doesn’t deserve our respect. This conflicts a little with preparations for her sister’s wedding, and her best friend’s first pregnancy. 

Directed by brothers Chris and Ben Blaine, who also made the BBC Three short Sara Pascoe vs Monogamy, the sitcom is based on Pascoe's 2016 book, Animal.

Out Of Her Mind is also the first terrestrial television commission for Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's production company Stolen Picture. The producer is Derry Girls' Catherine Gosling Fuller.

Best known as a dramatic stage and screen star, Out Of Her Mind is Stevenson's first television sitcom role, though she starred in the 2012 Radio 4 romantic comedy 55 and Over. Button was a regular on the Cardinal Burns Show and has also appeared in The Omid Djalili Show, You Me & The Apocalypse and Pramface.

Last month it was announced that Comedians Giving Lectures, the series that Pascoe fronts for Dave, has been renewed for two more series.

- by Jay Richardson