Derry Girls star in new comedy drama 'Leonard and Hungry Paul'

BBC has released first look images and casting details for new comedy drama Leonard And Hungry Paul, coming soon to BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer

Leonard And Hungry Paul, produced by Subotica, is based on the award-winning, best-selling novel of the same name by Rónán Hession and has been adapted for BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer by writers Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson.

Set to air this Autumn the feel-good series follows two board-gaming friends in their thirties; Leonard, a ghost writer of children’s encyclopaedias, and Hungry Paul, a part-time postal worker who still lives at home, who meander through leafy suburban life finding solace in their quiet routines.

The unexpected death of Leonard’s mother, the approaching wedding of Hungry Paul’s sister and a tentative new romance for Leonard, prompts both men to meet a world that is suddenly wider and full of unfamiliar possibilities. 

It is set to star Alex Lawther (The End Of The F***ing World, ALIEN: EARTH) as Leonard, Laurie Kynaston (Fool Me Once, Sandman) as Hungry Paul and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (Derry Girls, Screw) as Shelley.

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Also joining the cast are Helen Behan (The Virtues), Lorcan Cranitch (Bloodlands), Niamh Branigan (Harry Wild), Paul Reid (Sherlock & Daughter), Charlotte McCurry (Say Nothing) and David O’Reilly (Doctors). 

Leonard And Hungry Paul is a Subotica production for BBC Northern Ireland in association with BBC Comedy, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland and RTÉ, and a co-production with Avalon who will distribute the show internationally. The series was commissioned by Eddie Doyle, Senior Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland.

David O'Reilly as Greg, Charlotte McCurry as Rhona, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell as Shelley and Paul Reid as Mark

The Executive Producers are Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O’Sullivan for Subotica, alongside in-house producer Natalie McAuley. Production finance assistance provided by Marc Lorber, The Art of Coproduction. The director is Andrew Chaplin. Adam Barth is Executive Producer for Avalon, Kate McColgan is Executive Producer for Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland and other Executive Producers include Wally Hall, David Harari, Morwin Schmookler, Ross Boucher. Mary McKeagney and Emma Lawson are Commissioning Editors for the BBC.