7th June 2004

Neil Morrissey stars in "CARRIE AND BARRY"

Filming has begun on CARRIE AND BARRY, a brand new sitcom which reunites Neil Morrissey with Hartswood Films, writer Simon Nye and director Martin Dennis, the team who made him a household name in the long-running hit "Men Behaving Badly". Neil stars opposite Claire Rushbrook, Mark Williams and Michelle Gomez in the series which is produced by Sue Vertue.

Neil stars as part-time cabbie Barry and Claire Rushbrook ("Linda Green", "Family Business") is his beautician wife Carrie. The couple find themselves with the daily challenges of keeping the spice in their marriage and the fun in their day jobs - as well as having to deal with Barry's teenage daughter Sinead (Sarah Quintrell) from his disastrous first marriage. Mark Williams ("The Fast Show", "Harry Potter") plays Barry's mate Kirk, who co-owns his black cab (he does the night shifts) whilst Michelle Gomez ("The Book Group") is Carrie's acid-tongued best friend and fellow beautician Michelle.

Executive Producer Beryl Vertue ("Men Behaving Badly", "Coupling") comments: "I have been wanting to do another project with Simon for some time and CARRIE AND BARRY fits the bill perfectly. Like "Men Behaving Badly", it's raucous, laugh-out-loud funny, and most definitely post-watershed."

Writer Simon Nye comments: "CARRIE AND BARRY have the usual things on their mind - keeping their marriage vaguely alive, the walking nightmare that is a teenage step-child, boredom and how to get the most out of your hot-tub."

CARRIE AND BARRY is a Hartswood Films production for BBC One. The series is produced by Sue Vertue ("Coupling", "Gimme Gimme Gimme") and directed by Martin Dennis ("Men Behaving Badly" "Black Books"). CARRIE AND BARRY has been commissioned by BBC One Controller Lorraine Heggessey and Jane Lush, Controller, Entertainment Commissioning. Head of Comedy Mark Freeland is the Executive Producer for the BBC.

For further information please contact:
Anya Noakes, Publicist for Hartswood Films +44 (0) 20 7483 2005

Tickets to the recording of CARRIE AND BARRY will be available on the Standing Room Only website or email them here.