Phil Dunning on his new BBC comedy

New BBC Three comedy Smoggie Queens revolves around a group of friends in Middlesbrough’s LGBTQ+ community, written by and starring Phil Dunning as the volatile Dickie. Here he gives us the low-down on the show…

What is Smoggie Queens all about?

Smoggie Queens is a camp, silly, queer gang show. It follows a group of five friends as they navigate life, love and wigs. It’s essentially an out-and-out slapstick sitcom with a big old gay heart.

What’s the inspiration behind the series?

Having performed character comedy on the live circuit for years, I often did a character very similar to Dickie. So the inspiration came from that.  I loved playing the character and decided to try and develop it into a TV format. 

The initial pilot was a completely different setting and focussed more on Dickie as a millionaire protagonist with the rest of the gang as his staff. Once producer Chris [Jones] got involved, he encouraged me to go down more of a "write what you know" route. 

So I moved the characters over to the Smoggie setting it is now with the gang as a group of friends. Which makes a LOT more sense because I have personally never had staff.

Do you relate to your character in any way?

I would hope that I don’t relate to him too much because he’s a self-obsessed narcissist. He says things I would/could never say. But maybe I’ve created him as an outlet for my own self-obsessed narcissism bubbling under the surface?!

How would you describe Dickie’s role in the group?

Dickie is a leader in the group. He tends to dictate a lot of what they get up to and steers them into various ridiculous situations. He thinks of himself as an independent gay who doesn’t need anyone to get by, but deep down he absolutely does need the other queens. They’re his family. 

Why was it important to film the series in Middlesbrough?

It was never an option to film anywhere else. It had to be in Middlesbrough. Normally the only TV shows filmed in Boro are crime documentaries or programmes dedicated to finding the worst place to live in Britain.

 Smoggie Queens is a love letter to the town and highlights the warmth and humour of the people who live there. 

What defines a Smoggie Queen?

A Smoggie Queen is somebody who is a bit of a weirdo. Someone who doesn’t conform to the status quo. An outsider and ideally somebody who’s from Teesside but that’s not a prerequisite. We’re very inclusive.

What was your highlight from filming?

There were so many, it’s genuinely impossible to choose one. But I guess performing a lip sync with Michelle Visage in the green room was probably up there.

The costume and make up throughout the series is amazing, how did you find getting into character each day?

I loved getting my drag makeup done because it meant sitting in the makeup chair for a couple of hours and having a gorgeous goss with the amazing makeup team. I also find it weirdly relaxing. 

In terms of costume…  if you ask me when I first put the costumes on I would tell you how much I love wearing 8 inch stilettos and how empowered I feel in them. If you ask me 12 hours later, at the end of a filming day, I’ll probably be on the floor in a corner, crying.

My favourite look is Detective Sexy from Episode 4 because… well… I felt and looked dead sexy.

What do you want audiences to take away from watching the show?

Apart from the obvious joy and elation, it’d be lovely for an audience to feel like they want to hang out with the queens. Each of the gang is so different and they all have their own individual quirks and characteristics. Hopefully an audience would relate to at least one of them. Just like the Spice Girls. 

The show celebrates the idea of a chosen family. What does chosen family mean to you?

Chosen family can be everything to a queer person. Growing up, we naturally feel different and like we don’t fit in. To find others that accept and embrace you for who you are can be a lifeline. 

• Smoggie Queens launches on BBC Three and as a boxset on iPlayer on Thursday November 28 at 10:10pm.

Published: 18 Nov 2024