Sue Perkins’ ‘Heading Out’ stars an all-star UK Drama and Comedy line-up

Red Production Company and Square Peg TV has announced the full cast line-up for Sue Perkins self-penned BBC Two comedy ‘Heading Out‘ including a stellar line-up of UK Drama and Comedy talent including: Dawn French (French and Saunders, Vicar of Dibley), Shelly Conn (Marchlands, Mistresses), Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of It, Getting On), Nicola Walker (A Mother’s Son, Spooks), Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner, Lark Rise to Candleford), Dominic Coleman (Trollied, Swinging), Raquel Cassidy (Lead Balloon, Moving Wallpaper), Harriet Walter (The Wedding Video, Law & Order: UK), Steve Pemberton (Benidorm, Psychoville), Jeff Rawle (Doc Martin, Drop the Dead Donkey), June Brown (EastEnders, Gormenghast), Anna Skellern (Parade’s End, Lip Service) and Sue’s comedy partner in crime, Mel Giedroyc.

Perkins plays Sara – a veterinarian so skilled, she can spay a tortoise one-handed. She’s successful, she’s popular – there’s just one chink in her armour – she’s too scared to tell her parents she’s gay. On the evening of her 40th birthday, Sara’s friends Jamie (Coleman) and Justine (Walker) give her an ultimatum: either she tells her parents when they come to visit in six weeks’ time, or they will. To help Sara achieve this goal, they’ve saved up to buy a series of sessions with Toria (Scanlan), the eccentric and mildly-qualified lifestyle coach / therapist, and so the countdown begins….

Sue Perkins said: “I think once the gnawing terror, sleepless nights and relentless self-doubt has subsided, this might well be the thing that I’m most proud of. It’s been a joy to work on, and I hope that joy proves to be infectious.”

Nicola Shindler said: “Having been a fan of Sue’s for a number of years, I am familiar with her superb writing ability and natural comedic timing and I have always wanted us to work together. In Heading Out she has written a fantastically original, smart and witty script with engaging characters and pithy dialogue, which are filming beautifully.”

The series is a co-production between RED Production Company and Square Peg TV, Sue Perkins’ own production company with Debi Allen and is produced by Jim Poyser (In with the Flynns) and directed by Natalie Bailey (The Thick of It).  Nicola Shindler is Executive Producing for RED Production Company with Debi Allen Executive Producer for Square Peg TV. The Executive Producer for the BBC is Kristian Smith.

‘Heading Out‘ will air on BBC Two in 2013.