Drop Dead Gorgeous

One To Watch Brand new comedy drama for BBC THREE If opportunity came knocking... what would you do?Filming is now complete on Drop Dead Gorgeous, a brand new comedy drama for BBC THREE, written by Carmel Morgan (The Royle Family; Shameless; Coronation Street) with additional episodes by Jan McVerry (Playing the Field; Clocking Off) and Stephen Russell (Big Train).The Webbs are a modest working-class family living in Runcorn. Pauline (Kathryn Hunt), is seemingly happy with the hand she has been dealt. School dinner lady by day, door-to-door cosmetics agent by evening, and along with husband Terry (Connor McIntyre), life and soul of the local pub by night. They have a nice house, brilliant mates and a great family. But all this changes when twin daughters Jade (Linzey Cocker) and Ashley (newcomer Sinead Moynihan) are approached by a model scout – but it’s not the beautiful Jade who gets the nod, it’s geek goddess Ashley who is the chosen one.As Ashley’s star ascends into the glamorous, sophisticated world of modelling with the help of her agent Murray (Lee Boardman), the tight knit circle of family and friends find themselves struggling with the fall-out. Pauline drops everything and everyone, as she pushes her daughter in search of fame and success. Terry’s world starts to cave in as his past comes back to haunt him and Jade’s jealousy threatens her relationship with her entire family and most importantly her sister.Casting director Beverley Keogh, who was responsible for casting BBC One’s Clocking Off and Channel 4’s Shameless, cast Ashley Webb from amongst genuinely new and raw talent in Manchester and Salford. Sinead Moynihan makes her acting debut in the role.Drop Dead Gorgeous is BBC THREE’s first commission from Hat Trick North.Hat Trick’s Executive Producers Mario Stylianides and Mark Redhead comment: "We are delighted to be working with a uniquely talented writer in Carmel Morgan. Carmel is a very established series writer but this is the first show of her own. The world she has created is genuinely fresh, funny and moving.Producer Juliet Charlesworth adds: "We are living in a culture of instant celebrity and expected success, so this series couldn't be better timed. Added to this, we have wonderfully witty scripts and great performances."

The series was filmed on location in Manchester and is a Hat Trick North production for BBC Three. The Executive Producers are Mario Stylianides and Mark Redhead for Hat Trick and Cheryl Taylor for the BBC. The producer is Juliet Charlesworth and the series is directed by Susan Tully and Dermot Boyd. Drop Dead Gorgeous is commissioned by Lucy Lumsden, Controller, BBC Comedy Commissioning.