Philomena Cunk set to return | Diane Morgan plans more specials © BBC/House of Tomorrow

Philomena Cunk set to return

Diane Morgan plans more specials

Diane Morgan is planning to return as Philomena Cunk for more specials.

The comedian says she is planning to revive the character, who originated on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe, following the success of the BBC Two specials Cunk on Shakespeare and Cunk on Christmas last year.

She said her ideas for 2017 include Cunk on punk, Cunk on modern art and Cunk on Jane Austen, saying with Cunk-like imprecision: ‘Apparently there’s an anniversary coming up this year of her birth or death or something or the day she had her first… I don’t know.’

Austen actually died 200 years ago this July; while the Sex Pistols released their only studio album, Never Mind The Bollocks… 40 years ago this October.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Morgan also revealed that Brooker had originally wanted her alter-ego to be well-bred.

She said: ‘They wanted someone posh as the talking head because they already had Barry Shitpeas and they didn’t want to look as if they were taking the piss out of the working class. Then I bowled in and said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if she had a Bolton accent.”

Morgan also revealed that she is also planning a sitcom with her friend Maxine Peake, playing twin sisters in which she would play the ‘slightly uncouth’ sibling of Peake’s more successful character, a famous actress.

However the idea is still in its early stages. ‘I’m writing a sitcom for me and Maxine but it might go nowhere,’ Morgan said.

Morgan will also be seen in the full series of new BBC Two sitcom Motherland, which is being filmed in June and July following its successful pilot last year.

The show is written by Graham Linehan, Sharon Horgan, Helen Linehan and Holly Walsh

Here is a video of Morgan speaking to the Radio Times at the magazine’s own party:

Published: 1 Feb 2017

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