Spreading some Abbey-ness

ITV orders rehab sitcom

ITV1 has ordered a full run of Morwenna Banks’s rehab comedy The Abbey.

A half-hour pilot, which also featured the likes of Russell Brand and Omid Djalili, aired earlier this year.

And it was deemed such a success a full run goes into production next year, actor Rasmus Hardiker has said, telling the Digital Spy ebsite: ‘We're shooting it January time.’

Banks wrote and starred in February's pilot as ex-rock chic Marianne Hope who sets up a rural rehab centre offering new age therapies. Reece Shearsmith, Liz Smith and Miranda Hart also made appearances in the comedy, which was made by Baby Cow.

Djalili played the centre’s slimy manager Tony, while Brand played a big-name DJ who couldn’t see why there was any fuss about his crack addiction.

Published: 22 Aug 2007

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