Prestigious cast join Channel 4’s Chivalry, written by and starring Sarah Solemani and Steve Coogan

24 August 2021

A 6 x 30’ comedy drama from Baby Cow Productions

Channel 4 today announces the ensemble cast and guest cameos joining its upcoming comedy drama, Chivalry. Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws, Blackish), Sienna Miller (The Loudest Voice, American Woman), Lolly Adefope (This Time with Alan Partridge, Shrill), Robert Lonsdale (Chewing Gum, Finding Alice) and Adjani Salmon (Dreaming Whilst Black, Enterprice) star in the series, alongside guest cameos including Paul Rudd (Living with Yourself, Ant Man), Peter Mullan (Cursed, Mum) and Amy Landecker (Your Honor, Transparent). Chivalry is written by Sarah Solemani (Him and Her, Barry) and Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge, Philomena) and is produced by Baby Cow Productions. This timely series unabashedly explores the complex state of gender politics in the #MeToo era in the film and television industry.

Emmy award-winning Wanda Sykes stars as Jean Shrill, a shrewd studio executive. Jean arranges for Bobby Sohrabi (played by Sarah Solemani), a passionate indie-darling filmmaker, to take over as director of “A Little Death”, the problematic movie produced by Cameron O’Neill (played by Steve Coogan). Cameron must navigate remaining relevant at a time when cancel-culture is all too real and is surprised when spending time with Bobby awakens a creative side of himself, he thought had long-since passed. What will Jean do to keep her empire intact, and what will Bobby do to build one?

Sienna Miller plays Lark, the magnetic and dynamic leading actress of Cameron’s movie. She’s a fighter and no stranger to The Hollywood Boys’ Club.

Lolly Adefope plays Ama, Cameron’s new assistant who’s eager to quickly climb the ladder of success. Robert Lonsdale joins playing Rick, the editor of “A Little Death” who aims to keep the film on track while often caught in the crossfire of Bobby and Cameron’s creative sparring.

Adjani Salmon is Aston, Bobby’s patient, and generous husband. Down on his luck from a failed start-up, Aston agrees to move to the tech-Mecca California with Bobby, hopeful to reinvent his career while Bobby strikes while the iron’s hot in hers.

Chivalry is a fresh new look on gender politics and romance, and asks the question: can one build and sustain a successful, relevant career in Hollywood without sacrificing authenticity? Chivalry grants the audience permission to laugh while asking complex questions that we as a society often find hard to discuss.

Chivalry has been commissioned by Channel 4 Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick, and overseen by Commissioning Editor, Gwawr Lloyd. Marta Cunningham (Insecure, Fear the Walking Dead, Modern Love) will direct, Isabel Richardson (Russian Doll, Living With Yourself) will produce and the executive producers are Steve Coogan, Sarah Solemani, Marta Cunningham, Sarah Monteith (This Time with Alan Partridge) and Rupert Majendie (This Time with Alan Partridge, Pls Like).

Chivalry is produced by Baby Cow Productions, a BBC Studios invested indie with US production services provided by Jax Media.

*ENDS*

 

About Baby Cow Productions

Baby Cow Productions is a multi-award-winning production company which produces high quality scripted comedy and drama for television, film and digital platforms. It has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of established genres, telling compelling and universal stories with unconventional characters at their heart. 

The returning comedy series This Time with Alan Partridge has recently aired on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.  Baby Cow is in production with Channel 4 drama commission Chivalry, written by and starring Sarah Solemani and Steve Coogan and for BBC Two, while The Witchfinder, written and directed by Rob and Neil Gibbons and starring Daisy May Cooper and Tim Key, is in post-production. In film, Stephen Frears' The Lost King, starring Sally Hawkins and Steve Coogan and written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, is in post-production. Craig Roberts' The Fantastic Flitcrofts, starring Mark Rylance, Sally Hawkins and Rhys Ifans and written by Simon Farnaby, which Baby Cow have co-produced with Water & Power Productions, is also in post-production.  

Previous TV productions include Alan Partridge, Gavin & Stacey, The Trip, Uncle, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Nighty Night and Camping, while film output includes Stan & Ollie, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and the Oscar-and Golden Globe nominated Philomena.

Baby Cow Productions was co-founded in 1999, by Steve Coogan. BBC Studios became a company shareholder in 2008 and has been its majority owner since 2016, with Coogan remaining a shareholder.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group, supporting the licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, Doctor Who and Bluey. BBC Studios has offices in over 20 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further seven countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2000 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix and Migu, is a champion for British creativity around the world.  It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for programme titles.

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For further information please contact:

Jo Blanket

Channel 4 Publicity Manager, Scripted