Lisa Kudrow and Charlotte Ritchie will star in a new E4 and Netflix drama series written by and starring comedian Mae Martin.
With a working title Mae And George, the six-part comedy drama – which has gone into production in Manchester – delves into UK-based Canadian comic Martin’s personal story, focusing on love, addiction and where the two intersect.
Call The Midwife star Ritchie will play George, Martin’s new girlfriend, described as “both the balm to Mae’s anxiety and the cause of it”.
Friends star Kudrow will take on the role of Martin’s “powerful and charismatic mother” Linda, who still manages to impact her daughter’s life from afar despite still living in Canada.
Four Weddings And A Funeral and Gosford Park star Sophie Thompson has also been added to the cast and will play Maggie, Martin’s fellow recovering addict and confidante.
Adrian Lukis, who has appeared in The Crown and Pride And Prejudice, will play Martin’s English father.
Other cast members include W1A star Ophelia Lovibond and Turn Up Charlie actor Jack Barry.
Martin, who has won two Canadian Comedy Awards and has appeared on programmes including The Russell Howard Hour, Live From The BBC and Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier, wrote the comedy with writer Joe Hampson.
Kudrow said: “I’m thrilled to be playing Linda but I first fell in love with Mae and the scripts she and Joe wrote. It’s sweet and very funny and awkward and well observed.”
Ritchie said: “It is a total dream to be involved in a show like this. It is so thoughtfully written and full of beautiful details but also makes me laugh so much. I feel so very grateful to be part of it.”
Thompson added: “I wanted this job so much after reading the scripts – to me they were so funny, scorchingly honest and profoundly human. When I got the job, I literally did a jig of deep glee. Mae amazes me, and so does Joe – to be a part of something so original is such a genuine joy.”