Q&A with Sam Leifer

Anglonerd magazine had the opportunity to ask Sam Leifer a few questions about Plebs, the sitcom he co-wrote and directs. With a degree in Classics, majoring in history and literature, Leifer spent ten years working on this sitcom about young men living in Ancient Rome.

Plebs Series 1 and 2 review

Ultimately, this sitcom is the sort of show that you watch if (a) you're interested in the clever writing and adaptation to the time period, or (b) you like those sitcoms about lads trying to survive in the real world, get laid, and live with their flatmates without killing each other. Like The Inbetweeners with gladiators.

Michelle Keegan to appear in Plebs as 'vestal virgin'

Former Coronation Street star Michelle has already filmed the small part in Bulgaria, where the cast and crew 'loved' her.

Plebs moves to ITV1

Multi-award-winning comedy Plebs will be repeated on ITV1 this summer after the show broke records on ITV2 becoming the channel's all-time highest-rating scripted comedy and also the highest-rated British comedy on a digital channel.

Ryan Sampson wants Rosamund Hanson in Plebs

The 29-year-old actor is keen for the 25-year-old star, who is known for her role as Smell in film and TV series This Is England, to play his alter-ego's sibling in the ITV2 comedy and is also hoping the hapless slave gets a romantic interest if the show gets recommissioned for a third series.

We're now more than halfway through the second series of the ancient Rome-set sitcom, which follows the surprisingly still relevant sex and city-based trials and tribulations of Marcus (Tom Rosenthal) and Stylax (Joel Fry). Written by Sam Leifer and Tom Basden - with the latter's sporadic appearances as taunted office water-carrier Aurelius a definite highlight - the show boasts an impressive supporting cast, with this series' cameos including Rosenthal's sport commentator dad Jim and Basden's sometime comedy partner Tim Key.

Radio Times review

The toga-clad comedy about three idiotic and hormonal lads in ancient Rome continues with Stylax (Joel Fry) finding a male admirer in the public latrine - and Grumio (Ryan Sampson) getting very sick after fishing out an apple from the same cesspit and eating it. Will Marcus (Tom Rosenthal) pay for a doctor to cure him - or will he pray to the goddess Hygea with the sexy Cynthia? Like it isn't obvious.

A shamelessly rude and puerile TV date that will once again divide viewers between the haters and those like me who have acquired the taste.

Radio Times review

In the toga-clad comedy about three hormonal lads in ancient Rome, Grumio is recycling the rubbish. Yes, they had confusing bin systems in Rome, too, and just as the lazy slave gives up trying to understand it, he spots an abandoned baby tucked away behind the bins - and decides to raise it as his own.

Stylax, naturally, sees the new arrival as an opportunity to strike up a relationship with an attractive wet nurse. Meanwhile, Marcus is trying to avoid seeing Cynthia's arty one-woman play.

The Roman rapscallions return to ITV2. No Blackadder II-style reinvention here, merely more of the Imperium Romanum Inbetweeners as Marcus's advances to wannabe actress Cynthia fall flatter than ever in the first of tonight's two episodes. Luckily for Marcus, Cynthia's new neighbour seems to be more welcoming to his witless wooing. That's followed by Marcus, Stylax and accidental drug mule Grumio organising a stag night as raucous as their pitiful purses of denarii will permit for waterboy Aurelius.