Rob Brydon is set to front a brand-new comedy for BBC One and iPlayer written by Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen and produced by Baby Cow.
Bill’s Included follows middle-aged divorcee Bill Beam (Rob Brydon), who staves off financial ruin by renting his spare rooms to students. Warm-hearted and eager but neurotic and slightly overbearing, Bill is thrilled by the youthful energy his lodgers bring – but baffled by their indifference to his laminated house rules and colour-coded cutlery. He’s torn between wanting to be part of the gang - sharing banter, keeping up with trends - and clinging to his role as responsible adult.
The students, meanwhile, aren’t exactly living the dream: a 90-minute commute to campus, a strict bin rota, and a man in his 50s who insists on a group vote before ordering a takeaway. Still, the rent’s insanely cheap (please don’t tell Bill), and somehow, through all the awkwardness, this chaotic household starts to gel. As Bill and his mismatched lodgers navigate heartbreak, reinvention, and emotional upheaval, surprising parallels emerge between university life and midlife crisis. Can they overcome their differences, embrace their found family, and help each other muddle along? Can Bill learn to be both landlord and land…friend? Probably not, because he’ll get too excited and screw everything up, but let’s see.
Rob Brydon says: “I can't wait to get started with this, to speak the wonderful words written by Alex and Ben who've done such a great job on the script.”
Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen say: “When we first met as students, we bonded over Human Remains and Marion and Geoff. To now be writing a show in which Rob Brydon lives with students is both a dream come true and a weirdly specific full circle moment. We’re thrilled to be working with the amazing teams at Baby Cow and the BBC and can’t wait to bring Bill Beam to life. Bill’s Included, you’re invited, we’re excited.”
Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy says: “Rob Brydon has given us some of Britain's most beloved TV characters over the years and we’re about to get another one! Paired with the razor-sharp writing talent of Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen, Bill's Included delivers exactly what audiences want - a warm, character-driven sitcom with genuine laughs and heart at its core. We're delighted to have this on BBC iPlayer and BBC One and can't wait for audiences to move in with Bill and his lodgers."
Rupert Majendie, Executive Producer at Baby Cow productions says: ““From the beginning, we knew this was a show we wanted to make – a perfect sitcom set-up with a sharp, contemporary twist. With its mix of heart, originality and beautifully observed characters, it feels like a classic Baby Cow show. Ben and Alex have written something properly special, and with Rob at the centre of a brilliant ensemble, we can’t wait to bring it to life”
Bill’s Included (6 x 30) is a Baby Cow, one of BBC Studios owned production labels, production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy. The show is written by Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen. The executive producers are Rupert Majendie, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen, Rob Brydon and Tom Basden. The commissioning editors for the BBC are Ben Caudell and Navi Lamba. BBC Studios will handle global sales.
Picture by Sophie Spring
