STEPPING UP: CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR NEW CHANNEL 4 COMEDY FROM JOSH PUGH AS FILMING COMMENCES

Filming has started in the West Midlands for Stepping Up, a brand-new six-part comedy series written by and starring Josh Pugh (Sneakerhead, How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge)), directed by Jack Clough (People Just Do Nothing, Things You Should Have Done) and produced by Roughcut Television (Big Boys, We Might Regret This, Things You Should Have Done) for Channel 4. 

Alongside Josh, who plays… Josh: an over-enthusiastic stepdad, is a dynamic ensemble cast including Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Benidorm) who appears as Sue, Josh’s mum; Sophia Di Martino (Loki, Flowers) stars as Becky, Josh’s partner; Tom Hanson (Brassic, The Outlaws) plays Sean, Becky’s ex-husband.

Lucia Keskin (Things You Should Have Done, Big Boys) takes on the role of Kelcie, Josh’s best friend and Jeff Mirza (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, What’s Love Got to Do With It?) plays Dev, local legend and curry house owner.

The show also welcomes a line-up of emerging talent, with Artie Dobson joining the cast as Nathan, Becky and Sean’s son; Oscar Hewitt-Richards plays Nathan’s best friend, Lloyd; and Eadie Johnson appears as Izzie, Nathan’s younger sister.  

Every day behind closed doors in Britain a stepdad negotiates the tricky paradox of bringing up another man’s kids: locked in several love triangles, the partner and the ex, the kid and the biological Dad, there’s no easy way to play it. Josh is desperate to prove his worth as the perfect role model to his stepchildren, the ideal partner to his girlfriend, and as an all-round ‘Good Bloke’. 

Unfortunately for Josh, absolutely everyone in his life is totally fine and would much rather he stopped trying so incredibly hard to help and impress them all the time. No-one needs him to, but Josh is 'stepping up' anyway.

Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy Channel 4, says: “We’re thrilled to have started filming on Stepping Up in Josh’s hometown and getting to see his brilliant writing come to life with a mighty comedy ensemble. We can’t wait for audiences to see the show.”

Josh Pugh, Writer of Stepping Up, says: 'It's such a brilliant and surreal experience to have started filming. The cast is incredible and it's hard not to feel guilty for dragging Denise Welch and a member of the Marvel cinematic universe to an Indian restaurant in North Warwickshire. There’re also some exciting new Midland's faces that we've managed to find, it all feels magic.”

Ben Worsfield, Series Producer at Roughcut TV, comments: “Everyone at Roughcut is very proud to be shooting in Josh's hometown and his brilliantly funny scripts have attracted an amazing cast. We couldn't be more thrilled with how the shoot's going, and can't wait for Stepping Up to hit screens.”

Transmission details will be announced in due course.