Timothy Spall Cast In 'Fungus The Bogeyman'

Sky 1 has confirmed Timothy Spall and Victoria Wood will lead an all-star cast in festive four-part drama Fungus the Bogeyman, which starts production this week.

Written by Tom MacRae (Threesome) and inspired by Raymond Briggs' story, Fungus the Bogeyman will star Timothy Spall in the title role. Starring alongside, is Victoria Wood (Housewife, 49), Keeley Hawes (The Casual Vacancy, Line of Duty), and Marc Warren (The Musketeers, Mad Dogs). Also confirmed is Andy Serkis as the Narrator (Lord of the Rings, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of it) as Fungus's beloved Bogeywife Mildrew, and Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) as the 'bogeyhunter'.

Timothy Spall commented: "Fungus has brought joy to generations of children and I am so thrilled to be playing such a beloved character. It's great to be working with Sky again and the skilled folk at Imaginarium to bring Fungus the Bogeyman out of the pages of Raymond Brigg’s book and on to the small screen this Christmas."

Viewers are invited into a wondrous world where Fungus goes about his business menacing and frightening those on the surface (the "Dry Cleaners") as Bogeymen do and have always done. Drawn from the character of Raymond Briggs' book, Fungus is a family (bogey) man who has lived underground for hundreds of years, never questioning his own existence... until now.

Over the course of the series, viewers will follow Fungus and his son Mould's journey through life on the surface, as well as the highs and lows of their father and son relationship.

Victoria Wood plays Eve, an earthy, eccentric "Dry Cleaner" living in the human inhabited town of Daventry. She's warm, astute and has an open door policy to anyone in need but behind the smile there is more to Eve than meets the eye.

Keeley Hawes and Marc Warren play Wendy and Daryl Snow, also "drycleaners" who live on the surface with their daughter Lucy. While Wendy is trying to support the family, Daryl is unemployed and if only he can admit it, a little emasculated. He loves life and a laugh but loathes his hitherto legal career.

The 4 x 60 series will be produced by Imaginarium Studios, in partnership with Double Negative's TV department, DNeg TV. It will comprise both live action and animated elements. International distribution will be handled by Sky Vision.

The series Executive Producers are Chloe Sizer and Jonathan Cavendish for Imaginarium Studios, and Cameron Roach for Sky. The series will be produced by John Chapman (The Lost Prince, Just William) and directed by Catherine Morshead (Downton Abbey, Shameless.)

www.corporate.sky.com/media-centre

(JP/MH)