A new Scouse sitcom from the same producers as Derry Girls is coming to our screens in the new year.
The Family Pile is a new ITV prime-time comedy set and filmed in the city. Filming took place across the Liverpool City Region, including at the now-empty Pensby High School for Boys in Wirral.
Producers created a full-size family home inside the school, which closed and merged with Pensby High School for Girls in 2015. Other filming locations for the six-part series include Crosby and Bebington.
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The Family Pile tells the story of four sisters who have lost their parents and are packing up the family home to sell. But even in grief their messy lives go on.
The new series was written by Liverpool-born Brian Dooley and produced by Hat Trick Productions, known for producing the hit comedy series Derry Girls.
It will star Amanda Abbington (Sherlock, Mr Selfridge), Clare Calbraith (Home Fires, Downton Abbey), Claire Keelan (Nathan Barley, No Heroics), and Alexandra Mardell (Coronation Street) as the sisters. Kieran O’Brien, Richard Pepple and James Nelson-Joyce round up the cast.
The Family Pile is executive produced by Angela Sinden alongside Walton-born Jimmy Mulville. It is the latest production to receive investment from Liverpool Film Office’s Film and TV Production Fund.
Previous investment from the fund has been given to a number of acclaimed dramas including The Responder, Time, Help and The Ipcress File.
A significant proportion of the show's budget was spent on local crew and businesses, while the production also provided training and development opportunities for up-coming talent in areas such as costume, make-up, production accountancy and camera grips.
Head of Liverpool’s Film Office, Lynn Saunders, said: “With its unique brand of humour, Liverpool has been the cradle of some legendary TV sitcoms over the years including The Liver Birds, Bread and Watching.
"Hot from their Derry Girls success, we’re delighted to welcome Jimmy and the Hat Trick team to the city with a new show that keeps the gags and punchlines flowing whilst at the same time dealing with some potent emotional issues. It’s been a long wait but The Family Pile finally puts the Scouse sitcom back on mass audience prime time where it belongs.”
Executive Producer Jimmy Mulville said: “The Family Pile was the first time we’d produced a series entirely on Merseyside and I can tell you it won’t be the last. Chris Moll and Lynn Saunders at Liverpool Film have been hugely supportive, the script by the brilliant Brian Dooley was full of Scouse heart and humour, the cast and crew were magnificent and if there were any Liverpool fans on the show they kept it very quiet so all good. See you soon!”
The Family Pile will air on ITV in 2023.
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