Sky orders Bad Tidings for Christmas
April 8, 2024
Chris McCausland and Lee Mack will star in Sky Original Bad Tidings, a festive special about two perpetually feuding neighbours in Stockport who become unlikely heroes, saving their street from notorious burglars. Written by BAFTA-winning team Laurence Rickard & Martha Howe-Douglas (Ghosts, Horrible Histories) with Chris McCausland, hijinks will commence on production this month at Sky Studios Elstree with the special set to air on Sky and NOW this Christmas.
Joining the cast alongside McCausland and Mack are Rebekah Staton, Sarah Alexander, Ben Crompton, Emily Coates, Josiah Eloi, Millie Kiss, Tupele Dorgu, Sunil Patel, Susan Kyd and Donna Preston.
Bad Tidings follows a tradition of successful festive Sky Originals. In 2023 The Heist Before Christmas starring James Nesbitt, Timothy Spall and Laura Donnelly, was the biggest rating Sky Original of 2023 and followed 2022’s Christmas Carole staring Suranne Jones, and 2021’s The Amazing Mr Blunden staring Simon Callow, Tamsin Greig and Mark Gatiss.
This year’s Sky Original Christmas special revolves around grumpy home-security expert Neil (Mack) and his neighbour Scott (McCausland), who insists on keeping his Christmas lights illuminated all-year-round. And mixing up their bins, criticising Neil’s ‘project’ car and generally winding him up. Basically, Scott’s a git. He’s also blind and all the other neighbours think he’s great.
McCausland said: “Talk about a back of an envelope idea that has got out of hand, we are now making a Christmas comedy film and it’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait to get up to some hilarious mayhem with Lee and bring some festive spirit into people’s living rooms this Christmas.”
Mack (pictured) added: “I love Chris McCausland, I love the script and I Iove Christmas. Where do I sign?”
The feature is directed by Tim Kirkby with Adnan Ahmed from Sky Studios producing. Anil Gupta Executive Produces for Sky Studios. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution handles international sales on behalf of Sky Studios.