Miranda rules out a film but considers return to TV series

Tuesday 16th May 2017, 10:11am

Miranda. Image shows from L to R: Tilly (Sally Phillips), Gary (Tom Ellis), Miranda (Miranda Hart), Stevie (Sarah Hadland), Penny (Patricia Hodge). Copyright: BBC
  • Miranda Hart has ruled out making a film version of her hit sitcom
  • She had been developing a script but realised "the transition from a studio sitcom to a film never works"
  • However she may return to the TV sitcom. "I think you could do married life as a sitcom, with Miranda and Gary"

Miranda Hart has ruled out making a film version of her hit sitcom.

She had been in talks with BBC Films about making a movie but, speaking in a BBC Radio 4 Extra interview due to be broadcast this weekend, she revealed: "I considered it and worked towards writing a script. Then I kept thinking 'these films never work'."

She pointed out a film version would change the dynamic of the show too much. "What are [the characters] doing on location? And we're not hearing laughs, it's such a different thing."

The comedy star summarised: "The transition from a studio sitcom to a film never works - The Inbetweeners is a perfect example of it working brilliantly, because it was filmic anyway."

Miranda revealed to interviewer Paul Garner that it was reading an article by the co-writer of Dad's Army that made her mind up. "I read that Jimmy Perry randomly wrote this article talking about that transition from studio sitcoms to films and he said 'I hope Miranda doesn't do it because what she's written is a studio sitcom and that's what it should be'.

"I thought, 'well he knows, so I'm going to honour that'. So he inadvertently told me not to do the film. And then I wrote what was the film script really for the finales."

However, Hart suggested the sitcom may return to screens again one day. She pondered: "I think you could do married life as a sitcom, with Miranda and Gary and see how they're getting on."

She said "I've missed the film boat, I think." However she added: "I'd like to write a film with another character."

Hart is currently in rehearsals for making her West End theatre debut as Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie.

The full interview with Hart features as part of Miranda Hart: From Hampshire To Hollywood, a three hour programme on Radio 4 Extra on Saturday 20th May from 9am (repeated 7pm). The show, which was commissioned to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the comedian's BBC Radio 2 sitcom Miranda Hart's Joke Shop (the precursor to the TV sitcom), sees her talk about her life, career and creative process alongside repeats of radio programmes she has featured in.

Here is the audio clip from the show in which she talks about the film:

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