Casting announced for C4’s English language version of Mesudarim

Jim Howick (Horrible Histories), Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who), Jonny Sweet (Babylon), Nick Helm (Uncle) and Mary McCormack (The West Wing) head the cast of Channel 4 and AMC’s new eight-part comedy-drama, Loaded, based on the award-wining Keshet International series Mesudarim, created by Muli Segev and Assaf Harel.

A co-production between Channel 4, AMC, Hillbilly Television and Keshet, and written and executive produced by Jon Brown (Veep, Fresh Meat), Loaded follows four British tech entrepreneurs and childhood friends Josh (Howick), Leon (Anderson), Watto (Helm) and Ewan (Sweet), who become multi-millionaires overnight when they sell their start-up videogame company for hundreds of millions of pounds. Overnight, the four 30-something friends are transformed from “people who play games” to “serious players in the game.” Amid a raging hurricane of money, excess and “millionaire’s guilt”, Loaded is about friendship, ambition, gluttony, the peculiar British distaste for other people’s success and how money can put even life-long friendships to the test.

Josh is seen as fretful and essentially decent, he’s the moral compass of the group, the most sensible of them. Riddled with insecurities, his decisions are driven mostly from a deep sense of worry and anxiety. Eternally cautious, he’s always anticipating a disaster, scared that his money will get taken away from him at any moment. So instead he focuses all his energies on getting his ex-girlfriend Abi back, which causes problems with his best friend Leon, with whom Abi has a hate/hate relationships.

Leon is the Business Development Director of their company Idyl Hands. He’s in charge of securing investment and is, clearly, very good at it. Deeply charismatic and usually able to get exactly what he wants, Leon believes money will open any door, but is surprised, then disillusioned, when it doesn’t. Massively confident, bordering on cocky, this front masks his own insecurities and a sense of pride that can get him into trouble. He is, however, deeply loyal to his friends and won’t let anyone else take credit for what they have achieved together.

Ewan, Director of the Coding Team and in charge of all the technical aspects of Idyl Hands. A slightly awkward personality, and an innate introvert, he’s a delicate soul who suffers from IBS, motion sickness, nosebleeds and feels unrecognised by the wider world after years stuck behind a screen. With his new wealth, and an exciting new relationship, the worm is about to turn – what will the group do when their beta pal makes moves to become the alpha male?

The eccentric Watto is a talented artist who drew the artwork for their hit game, Watto is recently sober after years of drug and alcohol use. Replacing one compulsive habit with another, he loves the thrill of spending large amounts of cash on flamboyantly useless items but at once suffers a crippling emptiness in the immediate aftermath of a splurge. A flighty character with few roots to keep him grounded, his commitment to his friends and Idyl Hands is the longest of his life and his mates play a big part in his sobriety.

Mary McCormack plays Casey, Vice President for Acquisitions at the parent company that has bought Idyl Hands. On the surface she’s a ruthless, immaculate and forthright business executive who refuses to suffer fools gladly. Emotionally distant and with a super tough exterior, she’s prone to sudden bursts of feeling when it suits her which belie a much more vulnerable side.

Joel Stillerman, president of programming, AMC and SundanceTV, said: “A smart and somewhat lighthearted look at all of the things that can go wrong when you’re suddenly very, very rich; and very, very young felt like a perfect show for our times.”

Kate Norrish and Polly Leys, Producers at Hillbilly Television described the series as “a fresh, funny and pertinent take on four friends trying to cling on to the slats of their friendship in the eye of a hurricane of money and excess – and with this cast it’s going to be a hell of a ride. Four freshly minted millionaires working alongside people who still have to bring in their lunch from home. An office of haves and have-nots. Like Downton Abbey with nerds.”

Loaded begins filming early November 2016 and is slated to premiere on Channel 4 and AMC in 2017.