Trollied series 4

Trollied series 4
Starts Monday 3 November on Sky 1
Contents
Introduction
3
Interviews:
Miriam Margolyes
4
Stephen Tompkinson
6
Jason Watkins
8
Aisling Bea
9
Jack Carroll
10
Samuel Anderson
11
Episode Billings
12
Introduction
Our favourite supermarket, Valco, is back open for business
in a fourth series of hit homegrown comedy Trollied,
starting on Sky 1 on Monday 3 November. Along with series
regulars Gavin, Margaret, Colin, Lisa, Sue, Linda, Ian and,
who can forget, Neville, a few fresh faces will be hitting the
shop floor hoping to serve you right.
Need some medical advice? Then pharmacist Brian
(Stephen Tompkinson, Wild at Heart) is your man, bringing
a whole new chemistry to the store. Colin and Lisa’s world,
meanwhile, is shaken by the arrival of Colin’s nan Rose
(Miriam Margolyes, Harry Potter), and Gavin’s got his hands
full with Harry (Jack Carroll, Britain’s Got Talent), 16, a first
jobber who likes to wind up his colleagues.
Last to join the Valco team are Daniel (Samuel Anderson,
Doctor Who), the Warrington branch’s new assistant
manager, and Charlotte (Aisling Bea, Edinburgh Fringe So
You Think You’re Funny), the hopeless daughter of Valco’s
owner and, thus, heiress to the entire empire.
Trollied is commissioned by Sky’s Head of Comedy
Lucy Lumsden and Sky 1’s Director Adam MacDonald.
It is produced by Alex Smith with Nick Goding the series
producer and Ash Atalla the executive producer for
Roughcut TV. Jon Mountague is the executive producer
for Sky.
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Trollied Series 4 Press Pack | 3
Interview
Miriam Margolyes
A veteran of stage and screen, Miriam Margolyes has enjoyed success
on both sides of the Atlantic. The actress picked up a BAFTA film award
for her supporting role in The Age of Innocence (1993), and more
recently starred in the blockbusting Harry Potter franchise.
Why did Trollied tickle your fancy?
It made me laugh. I hooted - who can say why something
makes you laugh? It’s character-driven, which I really like
and, when I watched the episodes they sent me, I thought,
I’d quite like to be a part of that.
What can you tell us about your character Rose?
She’s naughty and wants life to be lived on her terms. It’s
how I live my life.
Which leads nicely to the next question. Do you share
any traits with Rose?
Very much so. There was no acting required. NAR, we call it.
“
They were at the
end of their tether,
just tired out, and I
thought, well, if I show
them my breasts,
they will laugh
themselves silly –
which they did.
You’re not a shy, retiring type - as demonstrated by
your appearances on The Graham Norton Show. What’s
the most outrageous thing you’ve ever said or done?
Probably to show my breasts to Martin Scorsese and his
team [on the set of The Age of Innocence] after a long
day’s costume fitting. They were at the end of their tether,
just tired out, and I thought, well, if I show them my breasts,
they will laugh themselves silly - which they did.
Have the Trollied cast welcomed you into the fold?
They really are the most warm-hearted bunch of people.
Just lovely. I’m very lucky. I actually have interaction with
all of the cast, too. Gavin, for example, is trying to stop
Rose from causing trouble, so moves me from one
department to another, which provides plenty of
opportunity for hilarity.
“
Who have you most enjoyed working with over the
course of your career, and is there anyone you’d love to
work with but haven’t had the opportunity to yet?
My favourite actress is Dame Eileen Atkins. She is the
greatest actress working in the English language. Have I
worked with her? Yes, twice. I worked with her in Cold
Comfort Farm, then again in Doc Martin. She’s wonderful.
My favourite American actress is Anjelica Huston, who I
think is brilliant.
If you had to single out your most prized possession,
what would it be?
All my pictures - I couldn’t pick just one. Every time I get a
job, I buy a picture. I collect graphic art of the 19th century.
Look up Gillray, Heath and Rowlandson.
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Interview
Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Tompkinson is one of the country’s most beloved actors, from starring in
Ballykissangel back in 1996 to the string of TV hits he boasts today, including Drop the
Dead Donkey, Wild at Heart and DCI Banks.
How would you describe your character Brian?
He’s absolutely delusional. They’ve introduced a pharmacy
into the set and that’s Brian’s world - he sees the rest of
the supermarket as an inconvenience. A GP might save
three or four people a day and then go and play a round of
golf, but Brian’s at the frontline of medicine. Every pill he
dispenses is a potential life-saver, so that’s hundreds of
people. He diagnoses everyone and sees himself as the
House of the pharmaceutical world. Delusions of grandeur,
certainly. It’s lovely and to be partnered with Rita [May, who
plays Margaret] has been a joy.
So Brian and Margaret are partners in crime?
They sort of need each other. She calls him Doctor Brian,
which he doesn’t object to because he failed medical
school. All his family are doctors, his mum, dad, wife, brother,
his other brother, their kids - he’s got a bit of a chip on his
shoulder about that. Margaret, meanwhile, calls herself
Nurse Margaret, so, yes, they’re well suited. It’s a great
springboard to develop a fully-fledged double act, which
I’m thrilled about.
What has the atmosphere on set been like?
They welcomed me with open arms. Having Nick producing
and Paul Harrison directing - who I’ve worked with more
than any other director - plus I’ve worked with Rita before,
and Jason [Watkins, who plays Gavin] on a three-part
BBC thing called In Denial of Murder. I’ve known Jason
since I was at drama school anyway. We used to meet on
the football field 20, no, 30 years ago. Good lord! He’s a
wonderful, detailed, classy actor. Then there’s Miriam
[Margolyes] of course. She’s a unique force of nature,
just terrific.
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Have you got any ambitions you’d still like to fulfil?
My career has been better than I could have possibly
imagined, so I’d like to keep that going. There is
unchartered territory wherever you look in the acting world
and I’m more than happy to have a go. I’ve never wanted to
be pigeonholed and am always curious about things I’ve
never done before.
“
One of my lovely jobs was to
deliver all the scraps we didn’t
need as pigs’ swill. It was a very
glamorous start to my career.
“
Why did you sign on to Trollied?
I’d seen the show and liked it a lot. I’ve been doing DCI
Banks for a while now and, this year, was looking to do
some comedy. Banks rarely cracks a smile so this is a nice
antithesis. Plus, the fact that I’d never done anything for
Sky. I had a meeting with my agent about what my wish list
for 2014 would be and I said, ideally, I’d like to do a comedy
for Sky, and, honestly, the very next day was when Nick
Goding [the producer], who I worked with on Wild at Heart,
rang up and asked whether I’d consider joining Trollied. It
was a twist of fate I couldn’t ignore.
How about playing an out-and-out villain?
As soon as you get slightly established you want to spread
your wings in another direction and I’ve never really done
an out-and-out villain on screen. I have on stage, though,
which I thoroughly enjoyed. That’s something that would
be on the wish list for next year.
Can you remember a particularly good piece of advice
that someone has given you?
Once Ballykissangel had been a big hit, my dad told me,
what you have to remember is that you’ve been in all these
people’s living rooms, so always be nice and polite. He’s
right. You get welcomed in as a guest and there’s a
familiarity factor. People automatically feel like they know
you, and you have to be grateful and appreciative of that.
What was your first job, out of curiosity?
I used to work in a fruit and veg place.
Ah, so you’ve got some retail experience?
Oh, yeah. We also did poultry and fish. One of my lovely jobs
was to deliver all the scraps we didn’t need as pigs’ swill. It
was a very glamorous start to my career.
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Interview
You’ve won a couple of big awards
for your stand-up. Where do you
keep them?
In my heart - it’s the safest place to
keep things - and, of course, in my
memories. Every time I achieve
something, I immediately burn all my
clothes and awards and start again
like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
You’ve crossed paths with Stephen
before, right?
I was at RADA and he was only at
Central [laughs]. We played football
together. He never wore a kit, I can only
remember him wearing some DMs and
giving it all that. I’ve never respected
him since. Then we did In Denial of
Murder together about 10 years ago
and had a great time on that.
Seriously, though, it must have been
a privilege to pick up the Foster’s
So You Think You’re Funny? Award?
It’s for newcomers into stand-up. I
won it two years ago and it was the
first time in 20 years that a woman
had won it. I couldn’t care less
whether I was a woman or not,
however, it’s a good thing and
shows how the comedy circuit has
moved forward.
Does it feel weird doing Trollied
without Jane Horrocks?
I went to drama school with Jane and
I’m going to miss that working
relationship. Having an influx of new
faces, though, means Gavin’s agenda
has changed. He has different
challenges, like Miriam’s character
Rose and Aisling - he’s under this
terrible pressure to make sure Charlie
can function in the supermarket
otherwise he’s going to be in trouble
with the big boss and lose his job.
Jason
Watkins
This marks the fourth
series of Trollied for Jason
Watkins, who plays
supermarket manager
Gavin. Enjoying a varied
career in TV, film and
theatre, he’s also starred in
Being Human, Psychoville
and Playhouse Presents:
The Cruise.
How does this series compare to
previous ones given the influx of
new faces?
Here we are, four series in, and it’s
brilliant. The scripts are just as strong
and what’s good about this series is
that it’s pre-watershed, which I think
helps define the show. It keeps a ring
around the style of the piece. What
you get with Trollied is different
8 | Trollied Series 4 Press Pack
actors bringing their own comic
sensibilities, so this time around
you’ve got Miriam [Margolyes]
and the way she works, Stephen
[Tompkinson], Aisling [Bea] and
so on. It’s great they’ve been added
to the mix.
You mentioned the show now being
pre-watershed, but it’s still
mischievous.
Everything is alluded to now. If
you’re a parent watching Trollied
with your kids, it’s still there for you,
just hinted at. We’ve got great
characters and we’re getting to see
more of their foibles, too, other
layers to them. What I love about
the show is its warmth and love of
characters and that sits better
pre-watershed.
What do you enjoy most about
playing Gavin?
Gavin has a few gags but, really, he
keeps the episodes moving forward.
He’s often the motor in a sequence or
a little bit of glue and, obviously, he
gets stressed very quickly [laughs]. I
suppose I’m the ‘straight man’. I’d love
to play Gavin for a long time yet.
How have you been getting on
with the newest cast members?
Going back to the beginning of your
career, how did you get into acting?
I went to see Bill Nighy in a play called
A Map of the World at the National
Theatre when I was 17 or 18. Bill came
on stage and belted out this
incredible monologue and I remember
thinking, god, I want to be that
person. My drama teacher was
exceptional, in fact, there were two of
them and they really inspired me.
There were obviously some great
teachers at RADA too.
How tough was RADA?
I’m not an academic and I’ve had some
reading difficulties, so I had to work
really hard - I’ve got techniques I use.
RADA was a joy, though, very stimulating.
Who were your peers?
We had a particularly starry term;
Jane, of course, Iain Glen, Peter Gunn
- who was in Coronation Street
recently - Wayne Foskett, Ralph
Fiennes, Imogen Stubbs...
You’ve enjoyed a really varied
career, but is there a particular part
you’re hungry to play?
Shakespeare parts come around
and around and at some point
I’d love to do Richard III. My friend
Martin [Freeman] is doing that at
the moment.
Aisling
Bea
Irish actress, comic and
writer Aisling Bea has
juggled turns in TV series
like Damned and Dead Boss
with an award-winning
stand-up career. In 2012,
she was the first woman in
20 years to win the
prestigious So You Think
You’re Funny competition.
What attracted you to Trollied?
It’s a lovely ensemble show and
Charlie [my character] is a chunky
part. I get a nice run at acting, a
summer of routine and it’s also a
good way of making sure I don’t
get pigeonholed.
How would you describe Charlie?
A clumsy klutz. Charlie is very
wealthy but not posh. There’s
warmth to her, in fact, she’s like an
unfashionable Cher from Clueless.
She’s led a sheltered life and
wouldn’t be the sharpest tool in
the shed, but there’s almost a
Secret Millionaire vibe going on.
Charlie and her dad aren’t idiots,
they just happen to be rich.
Is there a hint of a romance
between Charlie and assistant
manager Daniel, too?
Just a hint. A little seasoning. It’s a
pre-watershed family show, so there
are a few second glances and
awkward pauses. It’s very Darcy and
Elizabeth - if Elizabeth Bennett was a
dope and Darcy was a manager of a
regional supermarket.
Is there anyone you particularly
look up to in the industry?
A lot of my peers, people who have
been doing stand-up for a few years
longer than me. Celia Pacquola and
Sara Pascoe are two of my very good
friends and I just love watching them.
Then there’s Nish Kumar and Romesh
Ranganathan, who was also
nominated for the Perrier last year. I
have to say I’ve done two QIs now and
Stephen Fry is a joy of a man. Lovely,
brilliant, intelligent and warm, he’s
everything you want him to be.
Have you had any disastrous
stand-up shows?
Absolutely not, they’ve all been
excellent - ha! Loads. Oh my god.
How do you conquer your nerves?
I’ve never been as nervous as when I
did the Comedy Gala at the O2. That
was so nerve-wracking because I was
clearly the lowest person down on the
bill and just the sheer amount of
people. I would rather have done 20
minutes than five because it meant
everything had to be good.
Do you have a pre-performance
routine? Any obsessive compulsive
rituals like, say, Rafael Nadal?
I have to have enough time to go
through everything I need to say, jot
down notes, have a cola. So, yes, very
much like Nadal. I also play tennis up
against a wall.
Trollied Series 4 Press Pack | 9
Interview
you’ve got a knack for it?
I would like to do more acting,
but always in conjunction with
the stand-up. That’s the foundation
everything else is built on. It’s good
fun and you don’t have the pressure
of the audience. Plus, the funny
lines have been written by someone
else, so all you have to do is read
a bit of paper. The other nice
thing about acting is that you
find your groove throughout the
day. You don’t have to be ‘on’
straight away.
How would you sum up your
character Harry?
He’s a mouthy teenager, which isn’t
much of a stretch for me, even though
I’ve just been going on about my
acting prowess. I’m not like that in
real life at all, I’m not even disabled
and I had to put the weight on for the
role [laughs].
Did you get any acting tips from
the rest of the cast?
It’s been great to have scenes with
Victor [McGuire], who plays security
guard Ian, and Jason [Watkins].
Everyone’s been proper helpful.
And how about Faye McKeever,
better known to fans as Linda,
who Harry has a crush on?
Well, we’ll see. Those scenes have
been really fun to film.
Jack
Carroll
Jack Carroll grabbed the
nation’s attention when,
aged 14, he appeared on
Britain’s Got Talent. Now 15,
Jack has entered the world
of acting, joining Trollied
after a guest role in an
episode of Big School.
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Why did you want to be a part
of Trollied?
I met [executive producer] Ash Atalla
and he said, do you want to be in it?
I said, that would be wicked but didn’t
think anything would come of it.
Then, a few months later, the scripts
came through.
So you didn’t have to audition?
They saw me act after they’d sent me
the scripts, which was scary. Cheers
to them for having faith in me.
You’re best known for doing
stand-up on Britain’s Got Talent.
Is acting something you want to
pursue further and do you think
Have you hung out with
Miriam much?
Yes! Wow, wow, wow! She’s brilliant.
It’s strange because you see her on
chat shows and think, ah, well, she’ll
obviously be more low-key when she’s
got a job to do, but she’s just as
brilliant. It’s great to have big
characters on set, especially on days
when you don’t want to come in early
and stuff like that.
What three essential items are on
your shopping list?
Gin, cheap cider and a packet of
cooking apples.
Your house is on fire and you can
only retrieve one item. What would
it be?
My collection of human organs.
I’ve got them in a little mini fridge.
Samuel
Anderson
British actor Samuel
Anderson is best known
for his roles in The History
Boys - both the play and
acclaimed 2006 film
adaptation - and
Emmerdale. He’s currently
starring opposite Peter
Capaldi in series eight of
Doctor Who.
Why did you want to be a part
of Trollied?
As an actor you always want to set
yourself new challenges and try
different things. I’ve never done
anything like this before. It really
homes in on the jokes and is nonstop, back-to-back gags.
Did it feel weird being the new boy
on the shop floor?
It was a seamless transition and felt
like I’d always been here. I don’t want
to say that they cast similar
personalities, but everyone’s on the
same page and gets along, which
doesn’t always happen in the acting
world. It’s a real tight ship, both the
people in front of the camera and
those behind it.
What can you tell us about your
character, Daniel?
The poor guy is the ‘normal’ one and
he’s come into this mad world with
high hopes and aspirations, only to
find no one takes their job seriously.
He’s very ambitious and has worked
his way up from being the boy in the
warehouse who sweeps the floor at
the weekend. Daniel is more of a
reactor than a joke teller.
Who do you share most of your
scenes with?
Jason [Watkins] and Aisling [Bea],
who are brilliant actors and so easy to
work with. It makes my job easier, too,
because it pushes me to raise my
level. I like watching them and seeing
how they dissect jokes, how they
add little bits to them or pull things
out that you wouldn’t expect. Aisling
is a self-proclaimed tart for a laugh,
too. I don’t know where she finds
the energy.
And Daniel and Charlotte take a
liking to one another?
They’re getting along. At first he’s
taken aback by Charlie and the amount
of attention he gets from her. She’s
not a bad looker [laughs] but they’re
from two completely different worlds.
Has anyone given you a particularly
good piece of career advice?
Stick with your hits, which is
something the late Richard Griffiths
told me while we were on tour with
The History Boys. He was the only
one out of the grown-ups if you
like who did the whole tour, the rest
of them just came for Broadway.
I asked him, Rizzo, why are you doing
the whole tour, and he said, Samuel,
stick with your hits if you’re lucky
enough to get one. He probably
missed two weeks to film some
Harry Potter.
What would it surprise people to
know about you?
That I can cook. My pièce de
résistance is my boeuf bourguignon,
which is to die for. Nothing touches it
but red wine. What else? I don’t break
dance anymore but I’m still a B-boy at
heart, and I can rap.
What’s the funniest thing that’s
ever happened to you at work?
At drama school someone pulled my
trousers down in front of everyone.
That was funny. And when I was 18, my
mum came down to the pub I was
working in to take me home - I don’t
care what your boss has to say! I can’t
tell you what it was for, though.
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e
Episode guid
Episode 1
Episode 5
A raft of newbies join Valco and Colin is horrified when he
recognises one of the fresh faces strolling down the aisle it’s his nan, Rose! The seemingly sweet pensioner only
wants the best for her grandson, but ends up making his
(and Gavin’s) life a misery after meddling in management
matters. Pharmacist Brian, meanwhile, takes on an unlikely
sidekick in Margaret, sorry, Nurse Margaret.
Rose and Margaret realise they know each other from a
former life, and that in a battle for Alan’s affections
Margaret won. Needless to say, Rose isn’t happy. Neither is
Brian, who is dumbfounded when Colin abuses his special
homemade hangover cure. As for Gavin, he’s distracted by
a special guest in store.
Episode 2
Episode 6
While salvation arrives for Gavin in the form of new
assistant manager Daniel, sparks fly when VIP till girl Charlie
also hits Valco. Charlie isn’t the brightest spark in the cereal
box, but she’ll probably keep her job because her dad
happens to own the supermarket empire. Somebody
should mention that to Daniel before he makes a drastic
decision he’ll regret...
Staff are unhappy because canteen prices have been hiked
up. Charlie puts a smile back on their faces, though, when
she takes them all to Pizza Express for lunch - which
management mistake for an impromptu strike. The
simmering feud between Rose and Lisa boils over, too,
descending into a bout of fisticuffs.
Episode 3
Episode 7
Some fake banknotes are doing the rounds and eager-toplease Rose shops a customer for the crime. His notes turn
out to be fine, but the OAP won’t let a teeny tiny detail like
innocence stop her from administering her own unique form
of justice. Could it cost Rose her job, though? Brian, on the
other hand, has a bee in his bonnet about a parking space.
Charlie’s dad Brendan stops by the store and Gavin is
determined to make her look good, something that’s easier
said than done. Elsewhere, Linda’s dirty secret is revealed,
and, finally taking charge, Colin forces Rose and girlfriend
Lisa to battle out their differences once and for all - in the
back of a locked delivery van.
Episode 4
Episode 8
First aid training gets under way but Brian is skeptical
about such matters; pharmacists rule medicine, you see,
not Jonny-come-latelies. Security guard Ian, meanwhile, is
at his wits’ end because of an unwelcome visitor: a fox. He’d
appreciate it, then, if Harry (and his collection of fake fur
coats) would stop winding him up.
It’s charity day at Valco and everyone’s doing their little bit
to help. Gavin has offered to shave his legs, Brian is
dressing up as a giant paracetamol tablet, and Sue and
Linda are hitting the saddle for a sponsored bike ride.
There’s a big prize draw to win a car, too, but fair play is
called into question when Rose sets her sights on it.
Contacts
Susan Collins
PR Manager, Sky 1
E: [email protected]
T: 020 7032 4243 M: 07736 026074
Charlotte Jordan
Publicist, Sky 1
E: [email protected]
T: 020 7032 1496 M : 07715 799 962
For image requests, please contact [email protected]
12 | Trollied Series 4 Press Pack
Tom Stichbury
Editor, Sky 1
E : [email protected]
T : 020 7032 1486