Naked Apes: Channel 4 Comedy Drama Series Begins Filming

11 February 2011

Camilla Campbell, Head of Drama

Filming has begun in Leeds on Naked Apes, Channel 4's new 6 x 60' comedy drama series, created by Brian Fillis (The Curse of Steptoe, An Englishman in New York) and inspired by E.M.T paramedic Tom Reynolds' book, Blood, Sweat and Tea. The show stars British Comedy Award winner Kayvan Novak (Four Lions, Fonejacker), Rhys Thomas (Bellamy's People, Beyond the Pole) and Richard Madden (Game of Thrones, Hope Springs) as a team of world-weary paramedics forever forced to deal with humanity at its stupidest.

To the outside world Stuart, Ashley and Rachid look like angels of mercy; to their colleagues, they're a trio of pedantic know-alls; and to the career alcoholics and late night revelers on the swarming streets of Leeds, they're nothing more than glorified taxi drivers with one drop-off point - Accident & Emergency.

Rhys Thomas, best known as spoof talk radio presenter Gary Bellamy on BBC2's Bellamy's People, plays Stuart.  At the end of a shift, Stuart just wants to go home, lock the door and keep the other naked apes out. Those misanthropic tendencies are the source of ongoing friction with Maxine (Amy Beth Hayes -Misfits), a sergeant in the West Yorkshire police force and, to all intents and purposes, Stuart's only friend.  Unbeknownst to her, and against his better judgment, Stuart secretly finds himself wanting to re-join the human race. To be with someone. But surely not Maxine?

Kayvan Novak, who picked up the Best British Comedy Performance in a film for his role in Chris Morris', Four Lions, is Rachid - a man with a naughty past that's always threatening to catch up with him.  Behind the constant shagging and non-stop boasting about his sexual prowess, Rachid's biggest worry is the niggling self-doubt that the girls he sleeps with only ever view him as an exotic - Muslim - sideshow and never the main event.

Richard Madden is Ashley. Young, handsome, and a bit of a lad, he thinks he has it sussed, knows how to play the game, and always keeps his cards close to his chest. His only problem, as a gay bloke who doesn't actually like other gay blokes, is that he's never in the biggest game of them all.

Swept along by an endless tide of bodily fluids rarely their own, our trio bicker, fight and shag their way through the darkly funny maelstrom of their lives. Behind the uniforms, the sirens, and the incredibly fast driving, they are three ordinary blokes trying to make it through yet another shift. But once they've finished saving other people's lives, will they be able to salvage their own?

C4 Head of Drama, Camilla Campbell says:

"Channel 4's increased investment in new drama will arrive on screen in Summer 2011 with two brand new series, Naked Apes and Beaver Falls, on C4 and E4 respectively. Irreverent and provocative comedy drama, both are set to launch a host of new and emerging talent and characters.  We hope viewers will love them as much as we do."

Naked Apes will be made by Daybreak Pictures (The Promise, Endgame, Britz) for Channel 4.  The six-part drama is written by Brian Fillis (The Curse of Steptoe, An Englishman in New York), Tony Basgallop (Worried About The Boy, Being Human) and Sarah Phelps (Eastenders, No Angels), produced by Chris Clough (Skins) and executive produced by Hal Vogel (The Promise) and David Aukin (The Promise) at Daybreak Pictures. It is directed by Victor Buhler (Coming Up), Damon Thomas (Dirk Gently) and Amanda Boyle (Cast Offs).