As vampire heir to the throne, there are great expectations for Val (Lenny Rush) to follow in the footstaps of his father Victor (Tom Davis). However, he’s never really got to grips with the usual bloodthirsty rites of passage.
When his mum reveals he’s not actually a vampire at all but is in fact human, he finds himself caught between two-worlds trying to hide his secret and protect his family while grappling with his own identity and the pull of human life.
The heart-warming comedy based on the books by Eric Morecambe is written by Neil and Rob Gibbons.
The Reluctant Vampire comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 4 October.
Interview: Tom Davis
How did it feel when you first read the scripts for The Reluctant Vampire?
I was blown away, I’d been a fan of the books as a kid and the Gibbons brothers perfectly encapsulated Eric Morecambe’s writing and tone.
What was it like bringing them to life?
It was a real joy. It felt like a really special thing to be trusted to work on a show that felt it was part of the Eric Morecambe legacy.
You play Victor, the patriarch of Val’s vampire (Lenny Rush) family, so you must have spent a lot of time with your on screen family. What were your highlights filming the series?
I think the instant chemistry between us all. Lenny, Sian and Gabe are all so brilliantly talented and such fun to be around. The laughs we had behind the camera quickly transferred to on camera. Lenny Rush is a superstar, his ability to navigate the laughs and the heart of this show left me in complete awe.
Victor is obviously quite a larger than life character. How would you describe him in three words?
Pompous, bumbling, idiot.
The series is full of weird and wonderful characters and hilarious hijinks. Are there any characters or moments from the series that you're particularly excited for audiences to see?
The cast of this show is stacked, it really is a special thing to have been a part of. I think everyone brought something unique to the show - Joe Wilkinson, Asim Chaudhry, Esther Smith and Charlie Cooper are all incredible performers I’ve known for years and was so excited to work alongside. Bill Bailey and Ross Noble are comedy royalty and every scene they’re in is an utter master class. Ellie-May Sheridan is someone to watch, she has so much talent and lights up the screen whenever she’s on it.
Victor, along with all of the cast, comes out with some brilliant one liners. Are there any that stand out to you? Or were there any scenes during filming that you remember having a hard time getting through?
The dialogue and the jokes are so deftly written you’re constantly just trying to do them justice. There is a line about Moths and Butterflies that just wooed me from the first read, you’re then just hoping that you land those brilliant lines.
Picture: Victor (Tom Davis) (Image: BBC/Boffola Pictures/James Pardon)
Interview supplied by BBC
