91Èȱ¬

Update – 20 May 2009: this press release has been updated to reflect a programme title change from Admin (working title) to Lunch Monkeys.

Kenny loves Tania, Tania loves solicitor Charlie, Charlie "loves" anyone, Darrel loves Shelley, Shelley has a boyfriend, Swanny. Asif fancies Lee Ann, Lee Ann fancies Charlie – and then there's Mike and Gloria...

Welcome to the world of Lunch Monkeys, a new six-part comedy series for 91Èȱ¬ Three starring Nigel Havers (Brothers And Sisters) and Sian Reeves (Hope Springs, Cutting It and Northern Lights) with Steve John Shepherd (This Life) alongside a cast of new young talent.

The administration department of personal injury law firm of Fox Cranford is a gathering place for school-leavers, no hopers and general misfits – and if they monkey around till lunch, its guerrilla warfare in the office 'til dinner.

Straight out of school and, into a job they don't want, Darrel, Kenny, Asif, Shelley and Tania are going nowhere fast. Looked down on by the solicitors they work for, they face constant criticism by their power hungry supervisor Gloria Stevens.

Bored senseless for eight hours a day the post room gang fill their time fighting, flirting, winding each other up and generally causing mayhem whilst dodging disciplinary action and the occasional irate client. Not to mention the office sleepover, mistaken identity, ghosts,Ìýtramps and a serious case of "fatal attraction"!

In his first role for 91Èȱ¬ Three, Nigel Havers, plays solicitor Mike Cranford, who to Gloria (Sian Reeves) is the glamour and power of the law courts personified.

As Gloria strives to be recognised and rewarded for her role in the company she is continually let down by her team of teenage wasters... and through her own lack of professionalism. Hotshot solicitor Charlie (Steve John Shepherd) is Tania's misguided romantic interest and lovelorn Kenny's nemesis.

The series was written by David Isaac, who was inspired by his own experience of being a supervising solicitor in a Manchester Law Firm. His other writing credits includes, 91Èȱ¬ Three's Scallywagga and has recently written on 91Èȱ¬ One's, Not Going Out.

Lunch Monkeys is being made for 91Èȱ¬ Three by Channel K (Best Independent Production Company in the North West in the How-Do Awards) and the director is Matt Lipsey (Little Britain, Saxondale, Psychoville).

The producer is Matt Tiller and the Executive Producer is Jim Reid. Rebecca Papworth is Executive Producer for 91Èȱ¬.

The cast includes Chris Hannon (Coronation Street) as Darrel, Rachel Rae as Shelley, Jessica Hall (Scallywagga) as Tania, Christian Foster as Kenny, Abdullah Afzal as Asif, Camilla Beeput as Lee Ann, Michael Taylor as Swanny and Kulvinder Ghir as Mohammed.

Lunch Monkeys is currently being filmed in Stockport and is due to be transmitted during the summer.

JP2

Information for viewers

More content about Lunch Monkeys will be posted, as transmission approaches, on this page:

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