By Bethany English
A Manchester-based sitcom starring Stockport’s Will Mellor will air on BBC 3 at the end of the month.
‘White Van Man’ was filmed in Cheadle and the city centre in July, and used local businessmen as extras.
Anthony Burke, 40, is a manager at the Best Bet Bookies in Cheadle where part of the show was filmed.
He predicts the show will be a great hit, and had his copy of the DVD signed by Mellor after the filming.
Mr Burke said: “Will Mellor was brilliant, he’s an amazing bloke and really funny too.”
The ‘Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps’ and ‘Casualty’ star returned to his home town to film the comedy.
Mellor stars as Ollie, an aspiring chef who has to take over his father’s painting and decorating business, complete with Ford transit van, after his father suffers a heart attack.
The show is described as a classic underdog story with the unlikely hero trying to make a living and support his father while pursuing his crush, Emma, played by Georgia Moffett.
It is the first commissioned programme for writer Adrian Poynton, who is excited about the programme’s release.
He said: “It’s ace, you’re gonna love it!”
Executive Producer Saurabh Kakkar said: “The show has a kind of ‘My Name is Earl’ feel to it, in that it’s an everyday world populated with wonderful, larger-than-life characters.”
The show shines a different light on white van drivers, who are traditionally seen as the scourge of the roads.
But the character Ollie, with his love of fine cuisine, could not be further from this image.
The show was produced by ITV but was sold to BBC which currently lacks original comedy programming.
The first episode of ‘White Van Man’ will air on BBC 3 on October 31st at 3.15pm.
