The Reluctant Vampire: BBC confirms new 'fiendishly funny' comedy starring Lenny Rush and Joe Wilkinson
A pair of Alan Partridge writers have adapted Eric Morecambe's books
The Reluctant Vampire is a brand new comedy coming to the BBC starring the fabulous Lenny Rush, Joe Wilkinson and Sian Clifford.
This “fiendishly funny” sitcom from Alan Partridge writers Rob Gibbons and Neil Gibbons adapts Eric Morecambe’s children’s books.
Lenny Rush, who is on co-presenting duties for next month’s Children In Need, leads the cast as young Val. But who else will be joining him for this fang-tasticly amusing bit of telly, and what is it about?
What is The Reluctant Vampire about?
The Reluctant Vampire takes place in a “timeless English village”. A synopsis from the BBC reads: “Everything is picturesque except for the vampires living in the castle on the hill.”
It continues: “Val has been raised in a very typical vampire family. But he has always felt a bit different and hopelessly inept at rising to meet his dad’s high standards.
“Following a surprise encounter with his reflection, he realises he is not undead, not in the least bit. Now with a big secret to hide, Val must navigate finding out who he truly is, by mingling with the locals to learn the intricacies of their behaviour and what it means to be human.”
It’s a “heartwarming show about finding your own identity while longing to fit in”.
Who is in the cast of The Reluctant Vampire?
Celebrity Traitors favourite Joe Wilkinson‘s stars in The Reluctant Vampire.
The comedian has been a regular fixture on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats and its Countdown-themed spin-off. Joe also appears in After Life, Miranda, Sex Education, and Douglas is Cancelled.
Fleabag actress Sian Clifford is named in The Reluctant Vampire’s lineup as Val’s mum Valeeta. For her role as Claire in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comedy-drama, she won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance.
Elsewhere, fans can look forward to seeing This Country’s Charlie Cooper in the blood-draining sitcom. He currently stars in NightWatch with his sister Daisy May Cooper, which sees them visiting haunted spots across the UK.
Tom Davis will play Val’s dad Victor, while Asim Chaudhry and Kiell Smith-Bynoe co-star. Look out for the great Bill Bailey, Ross Noble, Esther Smith, Ray Fearon and Ellie May Sheridan too. As well as Gabriel Nagy as Val’s brother Vernon.
Lenny “couldn’t be more thrilled” to lead comedy
Lead star Lenny Rush said of the show: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be surrounded by this bunch of comedy legends. If vampires had a dream team, this would be it.”
Of course, Lenny is known for playing Ollie in Am I Being Unreasonable?, Morris Gibbons in Doctor Who, and Morgan in Dodger.
Executive producer Shane Allen added: “This is a world of vampires, invisible ghosts, werewolves and gargoyles following in the dead funny footsteps of Ghosts to deliver high-spirited hilarity for all the family.
“The response to Neil and Rob’s scripts has sent shivers up our spines with the cream of British comedy signing up.”
The Reluctant Vampire is ‘fiendishly funny’
Now that the main cast is out in the open, BBC’s director of comedy Jon Petrie has been waxing lyrical about the series, which is described as “fiendishly funny”.
“The Reluctant Vampire is exactly the kind of distinctive comedy we’re passionate about at the BBC,” he shared. “Rob and Neil Gibbons have brilliantly adapted Eric Morecambe’s work into a sharp, character-driven sitcom that delivers both big laughs and genuine emotion.
“With the incredibly talented Lenny Rush in the lead role, we’re confident this will become one of the standout comedies of the year.”
The Gibbons’ themselves quipped: “According to Slavic folklore, vampires are nocturnal parasites who prey on the blood of humans. During often frenzied attacks, they target the neck, using razor-sharp canine teeth to puncture the carotid artery and gorge on blood, leaving victims lifeless and defiled.
“We look forward to bringing their story to a BBC family audience in the new year.”
When does The Reluctant Vampire start? How many episodes is it?
An exact start date for The Reluctant Vampire is yet to be confirmed by the BBC. But we know it will be dropping in 2026.
The BBC has announced the series will be made up of six episodes. Each episode will last 30 minutes, meaning it will be a great one for binging!
