Lenny Rush stars in a new BBC comedy, The Reluctant Vampire, based on books by none other than comedy legend Eric Morecambe.
As vampire heir to the throne, there are great expectations for Val to follow in his father’s traditional footsteps, 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 and stars Lenny Rush.
Reluctant Vampire comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 4 October.
INTERVIEW: LENNY RUSH
Tell us a bit about your character Val, what was it like stepping into his shoes?
Val has grown up his whole life in a vampire family, fully believing that he is a vampire, only to one day discover that he is human. I had so much fun playing Val. He is such a great character! I was very fortunate to have the amazing writing by The Gibbons Brothers, who adapted it from the books by comedy legend Eric Morecambe. Val is kind and caring, but some of my favourite moments are when he cracks under pressure and gives a really blunt, sarcastic comment. He was a joy to play.
How is Val similar to, or different to other characters you've played? How do they compare?
I think that Val shares both similarities and differences with other characters I’ve played. In terms of some of the funny moments and lines, I think they are similar to roles such as Ollie in Am I Being Unreasonable?, because it’s my personal sense of humour. Sort of sarcastic, and often awkward. I find things like that very funny! It’s a bit like for example, my favourite comic actor of all time, Will Ferrell, has the same style of humour in his films, if that makes sense? It has that Will Ferrell humour that is personal to Will Ferrell. So I’d say that Val has a similar style of humour to other funny roles I’ve played. But it’s also my first series-lead role, so you get to see a lot more of me (sorry!). I loved being able to have really funny moments with Val, but then also some great moments where Val shows vulnerability, and real emotion.
Val forms a lovely friendship with Gertie, played by Ellie-May Sheridan, who you previously worked with on Dodger. How was it getting to collaborate with Ellie-May again?
Ellie-May is fantastic. She is such a brilliant actor, but also a brilliant person. She is such a joy to be around, and so funny! I also loved her interpretation of Gertie. Ellie-May manages to make the characters feel so real and natural. I think that because we’re already mates, it really helped with the characters’ (Val and Gertie) chemistry.
Not wanting to give too much away, there are a fair few scenes where you get to have quite a lot of fun playing Val, do you have any moments from filming that stand out to you?
It’s so hard to pick out just one moment, everyday was so much fun. I loved any scenes with Tom and Asim, because I’d just be trying not to laugh the whole time. They are both hilarious. And of course, Pat Shortt was amazing. So lovely too! I really loved getting to work with and know him.
Were you familiar with Eric Morecambe’s beloved books before embarking on this project?
The first time I heard about the books was when Shane Allen (CCO, Boffola Pictures) told me about them. He mentioned that he’d been a fan of them as a kid, and that it was something he’d wanted to adapt for years. We had a Zoom meeting in late 2022 about maybe getting the rights to the book and making a tv series out of it, then in 2025, we were suddenly making it! And I’m so thrilled we’ve been able to.
How would you describe The Reluctant Vampire in one sentence?
The Reluctant Vampire is funny, heartwarming and fun - perfect for everyone!
Picture: Val (Lenny Rush) (Image: BBC/Boffola Pictures/Jonny Birch)
Interview supplied by BBC
