Daisy May Cooper and Tim Key star in The Witchfinder, from the team behind Alan Partridge

Virgin Radio

24 Feb 2022, 12:33

The new six-part BBC comedy focuses on a failing witchfinder as he transports a suspected witch across East Anglia in 1645, at a time when England was gripped by civil war, famine and plague.

As well as the lead actors - This Country star Daisy May Cooper and Tim Key (Sidekick Simon from Alan Partridge) - there are plenty of other very notable names in the impressive cast.

The legendary Ricky Tomlinson from The Royle Family is also set to feature, as is Jessica Hynes, also from The Royle Family. Reece Shearsmith from The League of Gentlemen and Inside No. 9 will also be in the show, along with The Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt.

And the great cast doesn’t end there. Also in the show are BAFTA-winner Daniel Rigby from Landscapers, Peep Show’s Cariad Lloyd, and Rosie Cavaliero from Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge are also appearing. 

Furthermore, Stath Lets Flats star Ellie White and Allan Mustafa from People Just Do Nothing are in the cracking cast, as are Vincent Franklin, Dan Skinner, Joplin Sibtain, and Tuwaine Barrett.

If that cast weren’t enough of a seal of quality, then the series has been written and directed by Alan Partridge writers Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons. The twin brothers co-wrote Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge, This Time with Alan Partridge, and the 2013 movie, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.

The plot’s synopsis says: “It's the year of our Lord 1645 and fear of witchcraft is rife. Puritanical Christianity, deep-seated superstition and a willingness to scapegoat outsiders have created a tinderbox of suspicion in which few are safe. In this environment, witchfinding has flourished, as self-appointed witch experts achieve hero status by investigating accusations of witchery and extracting confessions.

And that’s where Tim Key and Daisy May Cooper come in. The former plays a witchfinder transporting a suspected witch, played by Cooper, to a trial that “could change his fortunes forever”. 

However, his captive isn’t a great travel companion: an inquisitive, uncouth woman whose ability to prick his pomposity and ask uncomfortable questions turns a straightforward journey into a life-changing ordeal."

The Witchfinder arrives on BBC2 on Tuesday 8th March at 10pm. All six episodes will then become available on BBC iPlayer.