The Birth Of Daniel F Harris coming to Channel 4

Thursday 22nd July 2021, 11:08am

Lewis Gribben

Filming is set to commence this summer on Channel 4's dark comedy drama The Birth Of Daniel F Harris.

It was revealed today that Lewis Gribben - who played Duncan in 2020 film Get Duked! - will take on the lead role.

The show will also star Samuel Bottomley (Ralph in Ladhood), Rory Keenan (Shep in The Duchess) and Lisa McGrillis (Kelly in Mum).

The Birth Of Daniel F Harris. Image shows from L to R: Aaron (Samuel Bottomley), Steve (Rory Keenan), Sue (Lisa McGrillis). Copyright: Clerkenwell Films

Channel 4 describes the commission as "an utterly compelling, surprising and darkly comic story that follows a young man finding his place in a world he never knew existed."

The eight-part series has been created by Pete Jackson, who previously wrote Radio 4 comedy Love In Recovery.

Talking about the plot of The Birth Of Daniel F Harris, Channel 4 explain: "Lewis Gribben stars as Danny, an eighteen-year-old whose mother was killed in a car accident when he was a baby. Overwhelmed with grief, his dad Steve, played by Rory Keenan, bought a house in the middle of nowhere and locked Danny in, telling him the world outside was full of monsters waiting to take him away. Just like they took his mum.

"For eighteen years they lived a happy existence together, listening to Benny Goodman records and watching old movies with no sad endings. And that's how Danny grew up. It was all he knew, all he needed - him and his dad against the world. But when Danny turns eighteen, everything he's ever known explodes in an instant.

"Danny is taken to live with his well-meaning but stressed-out aunt Sue, played by Lisa McGrillis, and cousin Aaron, played by Samuel Bottomley. Aaron is a shy and awkward eighteen-year-old, desperately in need of a friend, but his very strange cousin definitely wasn't who he had in mind.

"While Aaron grew up watching YouPorn and YouTube, Danny was raised on a diet of The Lavender Hill Mob, Brief Encounter and The Red Shoes. Living with Danny is a massive eye-opener for Aaron, seeing the world through his strange cousin's eyes. And slowly, tentatively, both Danny and Aaron start to emerge from their shells together - as Danny tries to find the real monster, the one that killed his mother..."

The series is being filmed by Clerkenwell Films, the production company that previously made the hit dark comedy drama The End Of The F***ing World for Channel 4.

Filming commenced this summer, with Gavin O'Grady (This Way Up) producing and Alex Winckler (This Way Up) and Alexandra Brodski (Joy) directing.

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