Movie starts filming in London

More casting details have been revealed for Patrick, the Disney family comedy starring Beattie Edmondson.

As Chortle reported in March, the Birthday Girls sketch comic will get her bigs-screen break when she stars as Sarah, a teacher whose messy life is thrown deeper into chaos when she reluctantly inherits a spoilt pug from her grandmother.

Edmondson’s mum Jennifer Saunders also makes an appearance in the film – but as a fellow teacher, not as Sarah’s mother.

That role will go to Cherie Lunghi, with former Doctor Who Peter Davidson as her father, the Daily Mail reports today.

Meera Syal will be the head teacher while comedy veterans Bernard Cribbins and Roy Hudd also have parts.

Phoneshop’s Tom Bennett has been cast as a dog walker, and potential love interest; rapper Ed Skrein, plays a vet; and Gemma Jones (who played Renee Zellweger’s mum in the Bridget Jones films) plays Sarah’s neighbour Celia.

Patrick has been written by Emma Watson's publicist Vanessa Davies, based on her own experiences, along with Absolutely Fabulous director Mandie Fletcher – who will also helm this film –  and Paul De Vos.

It will be distributed by Disney's Buena Vista in the UK, and filming is currently under way in South West London.

Published: 5 May 2017