Category: TV Ent
Date: 16.09.2005
Printable version
Filming starts this week on Hyperdrive, a new science fiction comedy for BBC TWO, which follows the crew of British spaceship HMS Camden Lock as they go about their day-to-day lives promoting Britain in the 22nd century.
Hyperdrive is written by Kevin Cecil and Andy Riley, who co-wrote the Bafta award-winning third series of Black Books.
Heading up the cast will be Nick Frost (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead) as Space Commander Henderson and Kevin Eldon (Nighty Night, Big Train) as First Officer York.
Hyperdrive is set in 2151 and the crew of HMS Camden Lock are on a mission. Their mission is not to explore new worlds or seek out new life but to protect Britain's interests in a changing galaxy by encouraging aliens to relocate their businesses to Peterborough and take holidays in The Lake District!
As they voyage through space, the crew have to contend with anti-gravity failures, annoying talking doors and wars with alien races.
Commander Henderson is at the helm of the ship and an optimistic but deluded man who always thinks his orders are "open to interpretation".
His right hand man is First Officer York, a brilliant scientist and polymath but also a borderline sociopath who thinks he should be in command.
Other cast will include: Miranda Hart (French & Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous) as the meticulous Diplomatic Officer Teal who is in love with Henderson; Stephen Evans (from the recent Perrier-nominated sketch group Dutch Elm Conservatoire) as Navigator Vine, a depressive who is a danger to himself and the rest of the crew; Dan Antopolski (triple Perrier Award nominee) as the slouching and insubordinate Technical Officer Jeffers; Petra Massey (Cirque du Soleil) as Pilot Sandstrom, an enhanced human; and Paterson Joseph (Peep Show, The Green Wing) as the slippery and hugely ambitious Space Marshal Clarke.
Jon Plowman, executive producer, said: "Kevin and Andy have done a tremendous job in coming up with what I think is a totally original script.
"Hyperdrive is partly about the crew of the HMS Camden Lock trying to persuade aliens to relocate to Britain whilst the Americans offer Florida, and partly about a group of people being stuck together in a confined space for a long time."
Hyperdrive is filming in the alien world of Manchester and is set to air on BBC TWO next year.
It is produced by Alex Walsh-Taylor (Grass) and directed by John Henderson (How Do You Want Me?).
