A regular local legend to Bath, Steve Delaney, has reprised his role as bumbling Thespian Count Arthur Strong in six 30 minute television episodes, set for broadcast on BBC2 next month.
Fans of the Sony Award Winning BBC Radio 4 comedy series are in for a televisual treat as the uniquely loveable, inimitable style of would-be showbiz legend Count Arthur Strong is making the transition to television, in a six-episode series to be broadcast on BBC2 from Monday 8th July.
A co-production between Komedia Entertainment and Retort, the scripted comedy division of Fremantle Media UK, will see Graham Linehan work with Steve Delaney to take the Count Arthur character from a cult Edinburgh Fringe attraction to a national television treasure.
The six new episodes were filmed in front of a live studio audience at London’s prestigious Pinewood studios in January and February of this year.
Delaney created the Count Arthur character in the 1980s when he was a drama student at Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
In 1997 Delaney resurrected Strong for the Edinburgh Fringe, an outing that gained a commendation from the Perrier Award panel. Further runs at Edinburgh gained the character cult status, with fellow comics, including Ross Noble and Noel Fielding, being particularly vocal in their support of the character.
Somerset local Delaney and the Count Arthur Strong character have long-standing ties with the Komedia brand, as many of the BBC Radio 4 series’ were filmed at either Komedia Bath or Komedia Brighton.
Graham Linehan and Steve Delaney were delighted about working together on the Count Arthur Strong project, as Graham Linehan said: “I’ve loved Count Arthur for many years and it’s a dream come true to be able to work with him.”
Stephen Delaney, added: “I’ve loved Graham Linehan for many years and it’s a dream come true to be able to work with him. I’m sure that nothing will go wrong. (That’s seven more words than him as well).”
One of the Executive Producers of the series, and Managing Director of Komedia Entertainment and Komedia Bath, Richard Daws, spoke about his excitement of getting Count Arthur Strong to BBC2.
He said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure working with such a talented group of people; everyone within our ‘dream team’ of comedy, writing and production talent has worked incredibly hard and I speak for all involved when I say I can’t wait to see the finished show on television on Monday 8 July”
He continued: “I’d also like to publicly thank the BBC for giving us this opportunity to take Count Arthur Strong from a successful Radio 4 comedy show to making the character a staple of the BBC TV Comedy schedule.”
