Daisy May Cooper Signs On for BBC Comedy ‘The Witchfinder’
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Daisy May Cooper, the star of hit BBC comedy “This Country,” is to play a suspected witch being escorted to trial in 17th-century England in new BBC Two comedy series “The Witchfinder.”
Cooper will star alongside actor and comedian Tim Key, who plays a failing witch hunter transporting her to a trial that could change his fortunes forever. But his captive is the worst possible travel companion: an inquisitive, uncouth woman whose ability to prick his pomposity and ask uncomfortable questions turns a straightforward journey into a life-changing ordeal.
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Set in 1647, in the middle of the English Civil War, “The Witchfinder” is created by Neil and Rob Gibbons, the writers and directors of Steve Coogan-starring “This Time With Alan Partridge.”
The six-part series is produced by Coogan’s production company, Baby Cow, whose credits include “The Trip,” starring Coogan and Rob Brydon, as well as features “Alpha Papa” and “Philomena.”
Christine Langan, CEO of Baby Cow Productions, described “The Witchfinder” as a “hysterical-heretical-historical epic,” adding: “Rob and Neil have put a truly modern twist on this macabre moment in time, as Daisy May Cooper’s modern-day everywoman gets dragged to trial by Tim Key’s inept, chauvinist, careerist witchfinder.”
Kate Daughton, BBC head of comedy commissioning said: “In ‘The Witchfinder,’ the Gibbons brothers have managed to create a timelessly compelling odd couple, forced together on a journey through one of the most baffling moments of English history.”
The producer is Dave Lambert and the executive producers are Langan and Coogan.
Cooper won the 2018 BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance for playing Kerry Mucklowe in online channel BBC Three’s “This Country.”
Key plays Sidekick Simon in the “Alan Partridge” franchise and has appeared in “The Double,” “Inside Number 9” and “Peep Show.” More recently he has been seen in “The End of the F***ing World.”
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