“Guardians of the Galaxy” star Karen Gillan will star opposite “Downton Abbey” star Hugh Bonneville in a new Steven Moffat dramedy about cancel culture, Variety can reveal.
In Douglas Is Canceled, Hugh Bonneville plays a widely respected middle-aged news anchor named Douglas Bellowes, while Gillan plays his wisecracking sidekick Madeline.
Douglas lives a perfect life. He enjoys his privileged status as a national treasure and presenter of the current affairs show Live at Six, while outside of the show he shares a harmonious home with his wife Sheila, a newspaper editor.
But her world is turned upside down when he is overheard making an “ill-advised joke” at a family wedding. When a guest threatens to expose Douglas on social media, the rumor mill goes into overdrive, sparking a digital storm that quickly turns his life and career upside down. With her 2 million social media followers, tech-savvy co-host Madeline could throw Douglas a lifeline by posting in his defense… but will she?
“Tormenting a man, let alone a man named Douglas, for four episodes – armed with Steven Moffat’s script – is a great privilege that I will relish every minute of,” said Gillan.
Joining Gillan and Bonneville in the dramedy are Ben Miles (“Hijack”), Alex Kingston (“A Discovery of Witches, Dodger”), Nick Mohammed (“Ted Lasso”) and Simon Russell Beale (“Thor: Love and Thunder”) ). .
Ben Palmer (“The Inbetweeners”) is directing the series.
Bonneville said: “It’s as daunting as it is exciting to be working again with a director like Ben on Steven’s bitingly funny script and with an ensemble of this caliber.”
The four-part series, which has just entered production in London, was written by Moffatt (“Doctor Who”) and produced by Hartswood Films (“Sherlock”) in association with SkyShowtime and BBC Studios Distribution. It will premiere on British streamer ITVX.
“I just sat down and wrote that,” Moffat said. “I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing. And now it’s all happening, thanks to the amazing Sue Vertue (renowned TV producer and, in a rare moment of weakness, my wife). “I can’t quite believe we managed to get the mighty Hugh Bonneville to play Douglas and that we lured my old friend Karen Gillan back from Hollywood to play Madeline.”
“And if that wasn’t enough, we have Ben Miles, Alex Kingston, Nick Mohammed and Simon Russell Beale. It’s the kind of cast that scares you when you walk in the room.”
Moffat will executive produce alongside Sue Vertue (“The Devil’s Hour”) for Hartswood Films. Lawrence Till (“Silent Witness”) produced. The show was commissioned by ITV head of drama Polly Hill.
BBC Studios represents international rights.