Six-part series Flowers – which follows the dysfunctional and eccentric members of the Flowers family – has been commissioned by Channel 4, it was announced today.
Broadchurch and Peep Show actress Olivia, 41, stars as music teacher Deborah opposite Julian who plays Maurice, an author of twisted children’s books.
The pair’s characters may be married, however they are barely together and heading for divorce.
As Maurice fights inner demons, Deborah tries to keep the family together, but becomes increasingly suspicious that her husband is in a homosexual relationship with his Japanese illustrator Shun (Will Sharpe).
The couple live in a crumbling old house with Maurice’s mother Hattie, played by Leila Hoffman, and their 25-year-old twins – Amy (Sophia di Martino) and Donald (Daniel Rigby).
Swinging from the magical to the mundane, the family and their often self-inflicted crises are surrounded by even stranger neighbours who become the agents of yet more chaos.
Writer Will, 28, commented: “This is a comedy about people who are struggling and the situations that can arise when you refuse to admit that there are problems.
“Our aim is not to make light of the darkness, but to find the light within it.”
Channel 4’s deputy head of comedy, Nerys Evans, added: “Flowers is the kind of deliciously dark comedy we love at Channel 4.
“The word dysfunctional doesn’t even come close to describing quite how brilliantly peculiar the Flowers family are.”
Flowers is due to be screened some time next year.
Source: express.co.uk – Olivia Colman and Julian Barratt to play husband and wife in new dark comedy Flowers