LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL: FIRST LOOK IMAGES AND CASTING FOR NEW BBC COMEDY

Leonard And Hungry Paul, produced by Subotica, is based on the award-winning, best-selling novel of the same name by Rónán Hession and has been adapted for BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer by writers Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson.

The show boasts top tier cast including Alex Lawther (The End of the F***ing World, ALIEN: EARTH), Laurie Kynaston (Fool Me Once, Sandman) and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (Derry Girls, Screw) and is directed by Andrew Chaplin.

Set to air this Autumn the feel-good series follows two board-gaming friends in their thirties; Leonard, a ghost writer of children’s encyclopaedias, and Hungry Paul, a part-time postal worker who still lives at home, who meander through leafy suburban life finding solace in their quiet routines.

The unexpected death of Leonard’s mother, the approaching wedding of Hungry Paul’s sister and a tentative new romance for Leonard, prompts both men to meet a world that is suddenly wider and full of unfamiliar possibilities.

The award winning director Andrew Chaplin (Alma’s Not Normal, Smoggie Queens) says about the show: “At a time when most shows involve dragons, detectives, or existential dread, Leonard and Hungry Paul takes a slower route - through kindness, the quiet gravity of small things, and the occasional game of backgammon. Proof that not all heroes shout - some just know when to stay quiet.”

The writer of the novel Rónán Hession says: "I am delighted to see Leonard and Hungry Paul being adapted for the screen. It's a real privilege as a writer to see my work being brought to life in a different creative form."

Eddie Doyle, Senior Head of Content Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, says: “This series promises something special and is full of charm and poignant moments that encapsulate ordinary life. With a stellar cast bringing this acclaimed novel to the screen, it will make an exciting addition to BBC Northern Ireland’s offering this year.”

Leonard and Hungry Paul is a Subotica production for BBC Northern Ireland in association with BBC Comedy, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland and RTÉ, and in co-production with UK independent Avalon who will distribute internationally. Filming will continue throughout May in Ireland.

Executive Producers Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O’Sullivan will oversee the show for Subotica, alongside in-house producer Natalie McAuley.