A seaside café in Weston-super-Mare forms the setting for The Café, a six-part comedy due to start with the first two episodes on Sky One on Wednesday 23 November 2011. The gentle sitcom stars and was written by Ralf Little and Michelle Terry. Called Cyril’s, the café is run by three generations of the same family – grandmother Mary (played by June Watson), her divorced daughter Carol (played by Ellie Haddington) and her daughter Sarah (played by Michelle Terry).
Sarah is a budding writer and has been forced to return to the town from London, and is not happy about it. But she is cheered up by former boyfriend, care home assistant and musician Richard (played by Ralf Little).
The six episodes are “There is No Place Like Home”, “Afternoon Tease”, “Out with the Old”, “A Note to Follow…”, “Fragile, Handle with Care” and “Deal or no Deal”. Each episode lasts 30 minutes.
Actors in The Café
Writer and actress Michelle Terry is familiar with the setting for The Café, having been born in Weston-super-Mare. Her TV roles are few, including being an extra in Extras, Debbie Grove in Law & Order, Sara in Reunited and two separate roles in National Theatre Live. She won an Olivier Award for best actress in a supporting role for playing Sylvia in the Royal Court Theatre production of Tribes.
Born in Oldham, Ralf Little is an actor and was once a semi-professional footballer, having played for the likes of Maidstone United and Edgware Town. His best-known acting roles were as Antony Royle in The Royle Family and Jonny in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. His career though dates back to 1995 with a number of small roles before playing Tommy Lawson in three episodes of The Bill in 2001 and the following year as Richard Eustace in Paradise Heights, a role he reprised in 2003 in The Eustace Bros. More recently, he was Danny in Massive and Clint in Married Single Other.
After playing Mrs Barnes in two episodes of Cracker in 1995, Ellie Haddington landed the role of Josie Clarke in Coronation Street, appearing in 26 episodes. She went on to play Fiona Drummond in Life Support, Kathleen in Life Begins, Nina Yorke in Holby City, Joy Masterton in Bad Girls and Hilda Pierce in Foyle’s War. Doctor Who fans will know her as Professor Doherty in 2007’s “Last of the Time Lords”.
June Watson’s acting career dates back to 1966 when she appeared in an episode of Dr Finlay’s Casebook. Her first major recurring role was as WPC Cameron in Z Cars from which she went on to play Sister Easby in Angels. She was Mrs Carraway in the 1980 series The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist. More recently, she was Mrs Grogan in Brotherly Love, Mrs Havers in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Mrs Ball in William and Mary, and Nancy in Strictly Confidential.
Café regulars include David Troughton as Stan, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as his daughter Chloe, Kevin Trainor as living statue Kieran, Marcia Warren and Brian Murphy as Alice and Jack Dobson, Jack Roth as Big Issue Frank, Seeta Indrani as businesswoman Brenda, who has her own plans for the seafront, Daniel Ings as John, and Carolin Stoltz as Ava.
The Team Behind The Café
The Café is a Jellylegs production for Sky One. The director and executive producer was Craig Cash, who was joined by executive producers Phil Mealey and Lucy Ansbro. The producer was Susie Liggot. The script was written by Ralf Little and Michelle Terry.
Steve Rogerson - Steve Rogerson is a UK-based writer specialising in television, technology, sports and beer.
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