Channel 4 orders Men About The House script

Tuesday 3rd November 2015, 7:35pm

Men About The House. Image shows from L to R: Hilary Crench (Selina Cadell), Sue Brush (Morgana Robinson), Eve Feevis (Ingrid Oliver). Copyright: BBC

Channel 4 has commissioned a sitcom script from Arthur Mathews.

Radio Times reports that the network has asked the Father Ted writer to adapt his radio sitcom pilot Men About The House for television.

Men About The House, broadcast on Radio 4 in 2014, is a sitcom set in a parallel world "where women are unquestionably in charge".

Set in a female dominated House of Commons, the show explores what it would be like if the roles of men and women in society were starkly reversed.

The radio pilot featured Ingrid Oliver, Morgana Robinson and Selina Cadell (pictured), alongside Fergus Craig and Geoffrey McGivern. It is not currently clear whether the cast will transfer with the show should Channel 4 give the green light for a pilot or series to be filmed.

Talking about the premise of the TV version, Mathews told Radio Times: "It's the House of Commons with just, like, mad people in it - they're MPs, but they're just very irresponsible, like children. It's based on a radio thing I did a couple of years ago. They're mostly women as well, but the main thing is it's just very surreal, they're like a bunch of teenagers."

Arthur Mathews already has a good working relationship with Channel 4, having worked on various projects for the network following the success of Father Ted. His most recent sitcom - Toast Of London - which he co-writes with star Matt Berry is due to return to Channel 4 for a third series on Wednesday 18th November.

Women in the House of Commons was previously the focus of 1980s ITV sitcom No Job For A Lady, starring Penelope Keith.

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