James Nesbitt joins BBC’s ‘witty’ and ‘chaotic’ Northern-Irish series with Call the Midwife star

James Nesbitt has joined the cast of the BBC’s “witty” and “chaotic” Northern Irish series Hopley Hall, alongside Call the Midwife star Georgie Glen and previously announced cast member Jamie-Lee O’Donnell of Derry Girls.

Created and written by Daniel Peak, the brand-new six-part comedy, made for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Northern Ireland, follows a group of staff and volunteers at the titular Hopley Hall.

Also joining the cast are How To Get To Heaven From Belfast star James Martin, The Crow Girl star Leela Harris, Close To Home's Tommy Belshaw and Wallander star Jeany Spark.

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Nesbitt said in a statement: "To be going back to the coast of Antrim, where my mother grew up and where I spent much of my childhood is an absolute treat.

"Hopley Hall is an innovative and funny series that will show off the beauty of Northern Ireland. The scripts have a uniquely Northern Irish sense of humour running through them and I’m looking forward to working alongside some truly great local talent."

According to a description, the titular location is a Grade A-listed masterpiece, "held together by damp, optimism, and a deep-seated resentment of the tourist attraction down the road", set in a fictional town on the Coast of County Antrim.

Per the synopsis: "We follow the team of eccentric, dysfunctional volunteers and staff including a freshly-appointed community engagement officer who struggles dealing with actual human beings, an over-enthusiastic guide with no sense of irony and a disgruntled gardener."

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Speaking about the upcoming series back in May, the BBC's director of comedy Jon Petrie promised "laughs, warmth, wit and a lot of chaos".

He added: "With Jamie-Lee O’Donnell’s impeccable comic acting, Daniel Peak's brilliantly clever writing, fresh material from some exciting new Northern Ireland comedy writers, and Tom Marshall directing, Hopley Hall (w/t) has all the ingredients for something properly special.

"Expect laughs, warmth, wit and a lot of chaos. We can't wait for BBC viewers to see it."

While there is currently no confirmed release date, the series is filming in Northern Ireland.

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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy. 

A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre. 

In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.