Comedy duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb are reuniting for a new series on Channel 4 called Back. It’s funny, brilliant and rude. Here’s their intro to the most important characters.
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The key players
Stephen
Played by: David Mitchell
David: “He’s a downtrodden local businessman whose father has just died and is hoping to take over the family pub. His parents used to have lots of foster children and at the funeral one of them turns up out of nowhere [Andrew, played by Robert Webb]. He ends up pulling all the strings while Stephen is the victim, a total innocent. He is a child in the face of a terrifying world.”
Robert: “He really used to resent the foster children. He’s very emotionally inept and some of the things he says are completely ridiculous. You get to love how he reacts to different situations.”
Andrew
Played by: Robert Webb
Robert: “Over the course of the series he worms his way into the affections of Stephen’s family, making him paranoid that he’s trying to take over. Eventually we get some clues about Andrew’s past but it’s kind of a guessing game. He’s clever and knows how to manipulate people. I’m giving two performances: the innocent one and the ‘maybe this is actually Satan’ one. It’s a fun part.”
David: “Andrew is an absolutely fascinating cipher. Is he a genuinely well-meaning person, a plotting sociopath or just a self-interested twat? I think we all know someone like him.”
The family
Uncle Geoff
Played by: Geoffrey McGivern
David: “I’ve got a soft spot for him. He is a refreshing type of maniac. He’s played by Geoffrey McGivern who had a cameo in Peep Show series three. He always makes me laugh.”
Robert: “He’s insular, Brexit-y and says the most outrageous things. He’s a grown-up Super Hans in some ways. Everyone’s going to love him instantly and for all time.”
Cass
Played by: Louise Brealey
Cass is Stephen’s sarcastic sister. She thinks he’s a bit useless and loves to stick the boot in when things aren’t going exactly as planned. “She’s a brilliant character, very funny and frustrating in a comic way,” says David Mitchell.
Ellen
Played by: Penny Downie
Ellen is Stephen’s erratic, aging mother. She’s also got a soft spot for Andrew, much to Stephen’s annoyance. There’s a funny scene in episode one that sees Stephen accidentally delete his dead dad’s final voicemail to his mum. Her reaction is priceless.
Back premieres on Channel 4 tomorrow (September 6)