Filming began this week on Only Child, a new six-part comedy from BBC Comedy and BBC Scotland made by Happy Tramp North, starring Gregor Fisher (Rab C Nesbitt, Love Actually) and Greg McHugh (The A Word, Fresh Meat, Gary Tank Commander) as father and son.
McHugh plays Richard, an only child and budding actor, who travels back to his family home in Scotland to look after his ageing and wilful dad Ken, played by Fisher.
Filming in Glasgow and locations in the North East of Scotland over the summer, Only Child is a fictional comedy written by Bryce Hart for BBC One and iPlayer, featuring neighbourly squabbles, domestic and inter-generational differences, all told through the lens of Richard and Ken’s comedic father-son relationship.
Richard’s long overdue visit to recently-widowed Ken makes him realise his dad may need a bit more full time help. Not that Ken would agree, of course, but that statement is pretty much true about anything. An eccentric, strong-willed technophobe, Ken is set in his ways, leaving Richard worrying about his dad growing old.
As well as Fisher and McHugh, Only Child showcases a wealth of Scottish and Irish talent including Amy Lennox (Holby City, Shetland), Stuart Bowman (Rebus, Guilt, Gary Tank Commander), Forbes Masson (The Crown, EastEnders), Clare Barrett (Fair City, Sisters), Robin Laing (Guilt, The Gold) and Paul Rattray (Jamestown, Game of Thrones).
Greg McHugh says: “If you’d told my younger self graduating from drama school that one day I’d be shooting a father/son comedy with one of my heroes Gregor Fisher, I wouldn’t have believed you. To be honest it still doesn’t seem real. Bryce Hart has written a beautiful show full of laughs with some really touching moments. I cannot wait to get going!”
Gregor Fisher adds: “I am delighted to be working with young McHugh on Only Child for the dear old BBC.”
More information
Only Child (6x30) is a Happy Tramp North production for BBC One, BBC Scotland and iPlayer, written by Bryce Hart (Still Up, Beep, Ten Percent), directed by Al Campbell (Inside No.9, Code 404) and produced by Ursula Haworth (Inside No.9, Brassic). The Executive Producer is Neil Webster for Happy Tramp North.
The series was ordered for BBC One and iPlayer by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy and Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland. The BBC Commissioning Editors are Gregor Sharp (BBC Comedy) and Gavin Smith (BBC Scotland). Only Child’s development was supported by Screen Scotland.