Peep Show writer pens new BBC Two & iPlayer series

The BBC has commissioned a new three-part comedy-thriller Ill Behaviour, from BAFTA-award winning writer and executive producer Sam Bain (Peep Show, Fresh Meat),

The BBC iPlayer/BBC Two series stars, Chris Geere (You’re The Worst), Tom Riley (Da Vinci’s Demons), Lizzy Caplan (Masters Of Sex), Jessica Regan (Call The Midwife), Christina Chong (24: Live Another Day) and John Gordon Sinclair (World War Z).

A Fudge Park production, Ill Behaviour sees Tom Riley starting as Charlie, who is diagnosed with cancer –  the prognosis is favourable – he’s young and healthy, the cancer has been caught early and it’s a type which responds well to chemotherapy. However, Charlie is suspicious of drugs and modern medical treatments and decides to refuse chemotherapy in favour of an alternative New Age approach.

His oldest friends Joel (Geere) and Tess (Regan) fear he’s written his own suicide note, so they decide to hold him hostage and administer chemotherapy themselves with the help of Nadia (Caplan), an unstable, alcoholic oncologist.

Shane Allen, Controller, BBC Comedy Commissioning, says: “Sam has achieved something very special and gripping in placing a huge moral dilemma at the crossroads of friendship, family and loyalty when faced with a devastating cancer diagnosis. Characters have to make difficult ethical choices and engage in questionable deeds for what they believe to be the right reasons – it challenges our own sense of right and wrong in the face of life and death.

“The cast and team have pulled off something very ambitious and it’s the perfect must watch the next episode box-set viewing experience to launch on BBC iPlayer ahead of its broadcast on BBC Two.”

Ill Behaviour is executive produced by Bain, Damon Beesley, Iain Morris and Simon Wilson with Steve Bendelack (Friday Night Dinner) directing.

Ill Behaviour will premiere on BBC iPlayer later this year before being broadcast on BBC Two.