Hello and welcome to Big Gay Energy.
I'm Bree. I'm Theora.
And I'm Caitlin. Come along with us while we dive
into the fun and nuances of queer media.
Representation matters, and we're here to talk about it.
Cheers queers on today's Big Gay Agenda.
Today we are talking with Laura Chekley.
She is an actress currently starring in Screw Series 2.
Thanks for joining me today, Laura.
Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here.
Well, sort of in zoom form. I have just finished watching
Screw and it was amazing. I heard you talk about not
heard, but I saw that you said that series.
I'm sorry, I'm American. I will say season.
Yeah, you. Know I kind of flip between
series and season because lots of English people have started
saying season now and I think it sounds cooler.
Because it just sounds like it's a whole like different show if
you say series. Yeah, yeah.
I think season makes way better sense.
Let's use season. I'm happy with season.
So in Season 2, you said it was more dangerous.
I know, boy, were you very right about that.
But in the first season, in the second episode, there is a
transgender storyline revolved around Troy where one of the
officers repeatedly called him it.
What was it like bringing awareness to this issue in
prisons? It's it's sort of blew my mind,
actually, that. We were covering it and covering
it so beautifully as well. And Steven White, who plays
Gary, that the character you're referring to, who keeps saying
the word it, you know, so many conversations when you're having
to play a part like that. Steven's a really, really great
guy. But it's important that we
remember there are people out there that speak like that and
refer. To human beings like that so
it's it's really it's really tough but I thought that
storyline for me was one of the most important actually of
series one and being queer I was just felt really stuck my nose
in a lot and and made sure that it felt right and Riley Carter
who plays the part is is so brilliant and.
Yeah, he he, I think he had a lot to do.
You know no, no stories ever written.
Rob Williams are writers is really good at checking in with
the right people to make sure that he's writing the right
stuff and telling the right stories.
So it was important. It's an it was important and and
I'll be honest, I didn't. It blew my mind that that that
still happens. And yeah, and it's, it's, it's
great. Without any spoilers or
anything, Riley comes back in Series 2 and I was really
pleased to see that. This will be because.
Afterwards. Anyway, so.
Okay. Cool, cool.
So, so Riley Carter's character ends up being sent to a women's
prison in the end. It's a really really really
difficult storyline and it's it's it's a tough watch as well
because it just yeah just feels really unfair and and anyway he
comes back in series 2 and we Lee Henry who's the head of our
team she sort of tells us all just no one's noticed so let him
remain here and it's yeah it's just it's sort of I think it's
sort of wraps up the story. And it just felt, yeah, I love a
happy ending. So it was great to see him back
and it was just a really interesting storyline.
And I think what's great about Screw is that this is it's a
lot, there's a lot of social commentary.
Yeah, it's exciting. It's gripping and you want to
know what happens next. But really the the story there's
the story of the weeks of the week with each prisoner is is
really where the heart of the. The pieces at and you've got
this exciting arc at this undercover cop and and Jamie Lee
O'Donnell who plays Rose. She someone's, you know as a
prisoner that's trying to kill her.
So you've got all that big exciting plot going on and then
every week you've just got new characters coming in.
There's another queer storyline in the in the second series.
Yeah. And it's just it's yeah, I mean
for me especially. Although Jackie, my character
isn't queer, although missed opportunity.
Well, I think that's a missed opportunity as well because I'm
like maybe Series 3, we can have a conversation about that.
Maybe. Yeah, I can.
Well, actually, I think probably Jackie's probably fluid.
I think she's probably really open to that stuff.
So I'd be, I'd be well up for that for series season three.
So, but yeah, yeah, it's. It's yeah, it's always important
and I'm I'm glad that we we do it and I hope that I hope that
the trans community watching it are happy with that storyline
and and it feels like a happy and well, certainly in season 2
it feels like a happier and more +1.
There was one joke in like it was so sad what was happening
but the when there was trans written on the board like.
Wasn't that supposed to be a secret?
Like, no, that's transfer. Oh, yeah, yeah.
That's I think of of God, Memory says.
Right. I think Faraz.
Sorry. That's the actor's name.
Ali. He he he, yeah, he thinks that's
referring to the prisoner. And it's not.
It's just it means transfer. Yeah.
And yeah. And I think he doesn't, He say
like, are we not, aren't we supposed to not know about that
or something like that? Yeah, but yeah, I remember it's
a secret. Yeah, yeah.
That's it. Yeah.
It's just, you know, the the comedy that's just like just
stuck in there is just brilliant in the midst of all this drama.
It's just perfectly done. I think it needs it.
Like I say, the our, our creative and a writer.
Rob Williams, he volunteered and worked in prisons for years.
He still does. He goes in and does workshops
now and stuff. So it comes from a real place.
He spent a lot of time in prisons and you know, we got to
speak to a lot of prison officers.
I got to speak to female prison officers and ask them all the
questions I needed to ask them about what it what it feels like
to be, you know, a woman working in a male prison.
And and so it it's, it's really, we've always got someone on
board, someone's there every week, every day.
On the hand, if we have any questions, so everything's
always coming from an authentic place.
But I think, Rob, that the humour when you speak to any
prison officers, it's really important in that job.
You know you're not going to go to work every day and not have a
laugh. And there's some been some real
funny shit that have happened in in prisons that that Rob hasn't
put in the screw but. Yeah, it comes from a real place
and I think the humours. I think because it's so intense
and gripping, when that humour does come along, it's really
needed and I think it's a nice release.
And yeah, we, all of the the actors in Screw have had a bit
of a comedy background actually. A lot of us really love our
comedy and have spent some time in it.
So yeah, when it comes along, we're like, yay, no more crying.
Yeah, if you were to just watch this show, you'd be like, oh,
they're all dramatic. Well, yeah, yeah, right.
Yeah. So the humor is really
important. It's really and it's funny.
Rob's Rob can write comedy brilliantly.
And yeah, and you know, we likewise love delivering it.
In an Instagram post, you talk about how this industry boxes
you in, but Screw has been different.
What has it been like just working on the show?
It's I've spent a long time in comedy and I've been on the
comedy circuit over here in the UK and what happens?
I mean, originally I trained in musical theater.
I was at a musical theater. I was an old turn.
Yeah, I did musical theater for like, oh God, a long, long time
in my 20s. And then I just, I was, I'd
always wanted to do comedy. And I just suddenly one day was
like, I don't want to do this anymore.
I don't want to. Dance and yeah, I'm going to be
funny. I want to make people laugh.
So I just jacked it all in and went on the comedy circuit and
and and was so hell bent on being a comedian and being known
as a comedy actress that I sort of left all the other stuff.
Pushed the other other stuff aside, really.
And then once I broke into the comedy world, it was sort of
impossible to then get out of it.
And as I've got older. I've I've realized that you
know, I want to do some other stuff I don't just want to do.
I love comedy. It will always have my heart.
It's my first love and it's it's my safe space.
But I've got to say doing screw has reminded me that I can do
the other stuff and that I hope people agree.
But I'm more right at it. And yeah, I've.
I've really, really enjoyed the more dramatic stuff and.
Particularly, you know, I don't think it happens as much in
America. You might disagree, but we get
really boxed over here. If you're working class, you get
to do working class kind of roles, you know, like I always
get police officers or, yeah, prison officers and I always get
working class, Cockney, straight talking women, which I love
playing because it's in my bones.
But but often you don't ever get to play up.
I'll if it if it was Downton Abbey I'd be in the kitchen that
that's you know, I'm downstairs and that happens a lot in this
country. I think unless you until you
become you know a bigger name, Jody Comey, you can go and do
anything you know. And rightly so She's incredible.
But yeah. So I hope that screw has changed
a few people's minds. And I think some, I think
comedians can make brilliant dramatic actors sometimes better
because. They can sort of, you know, make
you laugh one minute and then kick you in the Fanny the next
to make you cry. You know, like it's it's just,
yeah, it's yeah, it's it's. I think that I see it in
America, you know, like someone like Idina Menzel or people that
go and do musicals and then they they're in a drama, they're
they're in a film. And that doesn't happen so much
over here because. I remember I had a friend.
Hey, there's there's a bark. That is a bark.
I remember I had an American friend and he said the
difference between us Americans and the English is that if
somebody pulled up in a convertible flashy Porsche next
to us in American would say I'm going to get me that car if if,
if that same car pulled up next to an English person, they say.
Fucking twat show off and and that's the difference you know I
I think that yeah you I think you you guys allow each other
Well it seems from from over from over here that you kind of
go yeah we can do everything and everyone should be able to do
everything. It's always a surprise to people
in this country that I used to dance and sing, and it's like in
America, everyone can dance and sing and act and do it because
they're allowed to. So you seems.
Like you have to. Right.
Yeah. But you do.
And and why not? Why not?
There's tons of sort of triple threats over here.
And I think Hannah Waddingham said it when she won.
I think it was the Emmy or one of those when she was like, you
know, she was talking about musical theater that's going
look over here because we're really fucking good.
And yeah, it's. Yeah, it's yeah, that's that's
my that's my view on it. I guess.
I think I went off on a tangent. I'm never so sorry, but.
That's the question. Yeah, you did.
It was great. Or basically.
Just say yes, Just say yes. But you're talking about like
comedic actors doing emotional scenes.
Your character went through a lot of emotional stuff in Season
2. How do you get your yourself
into that mindset before filming?
I'll tell you what, it's quite difficult because it's kind of
the first time I've done it. I've done it in theater but not
not in TV. And it's all very well doing it
once or twice. But when you're in the room for
four hours having to cry and you say to the director, like, can
we just be on me first so I can get rid of all the tears.
And then they come back and go, yeah, we are going to catch you
in this bit. We're going to catch you on that
angle, maybe catch you on that angle so you go like squeezing
the tears out at the end. But yeah, I I I think every
actor has a different process. I.
I I think it it's really, I think sometimes it can really
depend on how you wake up that morning and how you're feeling.
I try and get myself. I I I don't prat about as much.
If I've got a scene like that, I have to go off and focus and I
listen to music. I I I always play a piece of
music by a cabaret artist called Meow Meow and it's called All
The Girls. And it breaks my heart every
time I listen to it. So I put that on.
I got in the zone. And then when you're acting with
opposite, people like Nina Sissonia, who plays Lee Henry,
our governor, not our governor, sorry, she's our CM and and
Steve and White, you know, they make your job much easier
because they're brilliant. So in terms of prep, I try not
to overdo it. I try and see what happens in
the moment. But when it's really well
written, it it, it kind of happens.
But then you know and then some takes it doesn't and you kind of
just not you can't give yourself a hard time, but you you've
heard about the tears stick. Right?
The The actors never want to use the tears stick.
Yeah, I briefly heard about. It it's fine.
Like you. You should cut yourself.
Since I can go. I've been at this scene for four
hours. It's okay that I still can't cry
like I did two or three hours ago.
And yeah, you've got the they so they rub, it's almost like vapor
like we call it Vick's vapor rub over hips.
Yeah, we have. That what you put on your chest,
it's it's kind of like that they sort of they sort of blow it
into your eyes and it sort of gets the tear ducts rolling.
But of course you can't see anything.
You're just blinking. And also it feels that if you
feel like you're you're a failure as an actor if you if
you use the tearstick. But I just think, look, if you
got to do it, you got to do it. But.
I didn't have to use the tears stick which is great and good
news but yeah yeah but it's hard.
I've got mates that I guess them cry and they can just cry
straight away whereas I don't cry a lot in life.
So crying on demand is is is very difficult but you know on
most jobs directors and and and the crew are really great at
giving you time and it's really quiet on set and.
Yeah, no one's, no one's mucking about, but we all know when to
focus and give that person the time and space that they need.
So, but you do feel the pressure because it's you know, I can't
keep everyone waiting forever whilst you find the tears, you
know? When I was little, I used to
think that I couldn't be an actor because I couldn't make
myself cry. I feel like a lot of people.
I used to. I taught for years in a drama
school and I used to have this conversation with the young
actors all the time and and I was like being able to cry does
not make a good actor. Like it's great.
It's a great skill to have. But ultimately we're not all
built the same way, are we? And we all have different armor,
and I have a lot of it, so. You know, thinking about my dead
cat don't work for me. Every, every everyone has a
different method. They either have to be in the
moment to cry or they have to be this is a piece of music, or
they think of somebody they've lost or whatever gets them where
they need to get to. But I tell you, what is a really
interesting conversation to have is beyond that.
When you go home, your body doesn't know that you haven't
been through that trauma. So it takes.
It takes a while to for that to leave you.
And I don't think we have those conversations enough where you
are having like when you are doing intense jobs and you're
having to really go there emotionally every day for 6-7
weeks can take a toll. And I was, I've got to say, I
got really ill whilst filming season 2, although it was really
cold up in Glasgow and I got really run down because I think
my body was going, hey, what's going on?
Why are you so upset all the time?
Are you okay? Yeah.
Let's make you rest. And let's make you will and
rest. So yeah, it's it's listen, I
love doing it. I'm not digging holes in the
road. You know it's it's a great job.
But yeah, it's it's interesting to to put yourself through that,
you know? My next question was actually
what do you do to get yourself out of it?
Because a lot of people talk about how you get yourself in
it. But then I was I'm really
passionate about making sure that mental health has talked
about. And that could take such a toll
on you. So yeah, what it does.
Is there anything you do right afterwards?
I have a large glass of red wine, and no, seriously, I'd you
know, I'd I I probably just call my girlfriend.
I'm sorry, wife. She's my wife now, Just recently
married. So.
Congratulations. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Can't believe I'm yeah.
I can't believe I'm I'm married. It feels weird to say Wife.
I don't know. Sort of patriarchal.
I don't know if I'm cool with the word wife.
I don't know. Yeah.
But anyway, I still like to call my girlfriend.
It still feels quite hot and new.
When I say girlfriend, yeah, so I mean obviously I recently did
a play at the Royal Court in London and.
We had a big chat they that they offered this service where you
get to talk through any problems that you had or anything you
were struggling with content in the play or yeah, any sort of
problems you had with to do with stage for anything like that.
They had a team of people who, I can only describe a sort of
therapist really, that we had available to us and they were
available to us two weeks after we finished as well.
Which was amazing because they they actually approached the
subject about actors being what happens to them beyond the job.
And not just emotionally, but like there's financial worries
and and how you just suddenly meant to just, you know, you've
been going on stage and put yourself through something for
the last 3-4 months and then it just stops.
And people can really struggle with that.
And you know, not just the unemployment part of it, but
also just. It's like a drug going on stage
and I suppose it's something that leaves your body suddenly
and it's your body goes what's going on.
And yeah that that they were they were available to us and
I've got to say it was incredible.
And I think they it needs to be on every job because yeah, I
think if you are dealing with really difficult subjects that
you find triggering that you know that that, that.
That just feel really impossible and difficult.
We just sort of deal with it on our own.
I mean look I'm in I'm I'm 43 now and I'm sure ah well I just
deal with it on me own. I've always done it and actually
we that's not we shouldn't we shouldn't have to do that.
So it would be really cool if that could you know be
implemented in the film and and and TV industry.
Hopefully it will, but for me I've yeah.
Large glass of red wine and I call my girlfriend wife and talk
it through. And yeah, and I might whack on a
bit of comedy. I just anything a bit of drag
race always helps me. I've got to say anything that
just sort of I can just sit there and sit in a happy place
for a second. Yeah.
And and even with you know doing comedy that can be exhausting as
well. Not physically and and and all
the stuff you put yourself through.
So yeah, I yeah, I'd like to say something really clever and
brilliant, but yeah, just go home and chat to my girlfriend
and put it all on her. We just talked to people at
Soulis Mind who worked on Heart Stopper and did Mental health
for them and they had it available to them, so hopefully
it will become more widely. That is incredible.
What are they called? Soulless mind, Soulless mind.
That's Okay. That's really good to know.
Well, that's great. I hope it.
They should. It just be should be on every
job and have that that team, that sort of more objective that
you can just go and speak to and it's, you know, you know,
complete privacy and that you feel comfortable being honest or
whatever. Yeah, that.
Oh, that's amazing to know. Yeah, it's.
Glad people are finally taking mental health more seriously.
Yeah, right. Yeah.
So you also have a podcast called the Proper Class Podcast.
Can you talk a little bit? Talk a little bit about what it
is and why you started it. So I started it back in
lockdown. I mean who didn't start a
podcast in lockdown And you know it's been something I've been
thinking about for a while and I'm very passionate about the
working class and what it means to be working class particularly
in this industry. And I have a my cohost is a
Jewish working class theatre director.
And we often would sit down and you know moan and and chew the
fat over the the industry and and what we would come up
against, not only as women but as working class women.
And I read this article once. I can't remember for the life of
me where it's from, but it really got my go and it said
something along the lines of working class people spend their
lives trying to run away from who they really are, something
like that. And it really pissed me off
because I'm I'm really proud of my roots and you know I called
Hannah and I was like Can you believe this article and I sent
it over to you. It's really pissed me off and I
thought we should say something about this and we should do
something positive. And I think certainly in this
country working being working class can can be associated with
it being quite bleak and without hope and we wanted to change the
minds of people and and inspire a few.
So we thought what if we speak to you know six people that have
done all right for themselves and and and you know against all
adversities gone and done it. And we tried to talk to not just
people in the the arts but we've we've spoken to some politicians
as well and sports people and. Yeah.
And we talk about their journey to success really and how they
got there and and all the prejudice that they faced along
the way. And yeah, just breaking down a
few misconceptions really and it's a really positive.
Yeah. OK We, you know, we have a moan
about what it is to be working class sometimes, but it's not a
class fashion. It's really just a celebration
of being working class and we talk about really working class
stuff. Yeah.
And that's that's I've sort of thought I'd only do it for
lockdown but it it did really well and we got nominated for
long listed for the National Comedy Awards so which we do
have comedians on and it is sometimes funny but I wouldn't
describe it as a comedy podcast. It's it's a bit of everything.
It's social commentary and it and it is funny along the way
and stuff But yes it's been all right and we're just so we've
carried on but you know like like yourself it's a real labor
of love isn't it. And you know it's important to
us and yeah we'd I'd love to be able to just do more and but
obviously we're relying on guests and stuff and then yeah
we've got some brilliant amazing guests on.
So yeah check it out listeners if you can.
Thank you for the plug of. Course, someone who grew up in
and had a mom who like had to work for everything.
We were homeless at one point, but to become now like it's very
important to. Show that not everybody is
privileged in these this area and that people have had to work
really hard to get where they are.
So thank you for doing that. Well thanks for listening And it
is important like and to hear that somebody has done something
about it and with their life and you know, yeah it's it's just so
inspiring. I think if if anyone, you know,
if I had that grown up and I could hear people going, yeah,
but we have no money. We we have no, we have no home
no food to do it. But you know here I am.
It just just brings hope, doesn't it?
A little bit hope, I hope. So what has your favorite
project been to work on since you've done so many different
things? That's tough.
And it changes as I get older. I've, I've got to say, I was in
a comedy. So as I said before, like big
childhood dreams to become a really well known comedy
actress. I think my big dream is I want
to be on a primetime sitcom playing the lead.
And I met Tom Davis who's quite a big comedian over here in our
country and and I met him on this other project that didn't
do very well and we just sort of he's working class.
I'm working class sort of and and the director, his director
friend and cowriter, we we all just hit it off and you know
very like minded. And we did another project
together, like an action comedy spoof.
And that did like one season. But then we did know.
We did know more. And then they came to me with
this other project. So we're going to take you out
to dinner. We've got this, this idea for a
sitcom where you and Tom play husband and wife.
And they were like, you know, we want it to be you.
And I thought they're going to want Sheridan Smith or
something. They're going to want me.
They're going to want, you know, someone with a much bigger name.
So yeah, we, I had to prove myself and do a big Commission
read and. Yeah.
And then I was given the role and it's on BBC1 and we we did.
We did two seasons and it was a massive hit and it was Terry
King. The the character I played, she
was just such a doofus and a real goofball.
And I got to do loads of physical comedy and and it
really, it really launched me. You know I've been doing loads
of other jobs along the way but this was a massive deal and it
did really well in this country and it sort of catapulted me
just into a different level. Got a new big fancy agent and
before when I was being told I couldn't get seen for drama the
first thing this big fancy agent got me was screw and and yeah so
it's it's been a journey and but I've I've got to say playing
that role was like a dream come true.
It was just I remember we did a we did a Christmas special and
it was always had this thing in my head as a kid.
I really want to be in a comedy Christmas special because you
know, you know the whole family sat around watching.
It was just always my dream and we did a Christmas special.
And I remember we we had this scene where we'd we decorated
the whole Crescent that Terry and Gary live in and there was
just this huge lights and you know I'd really gone for it.
And that we we we were going down in the car ready to shoot.
And I just turned to Tom and I was like we're in a Christmas
special on BBC1 prime time. And he's like, I know I thought
we've done it And it was. Yeah, it's just really, really
special job. And I've met friends for life on
that job and. Yeah.
And I'm, you know, will always work with Tom and James who are
the creator of King Gary. But yeah, I think that's
probably, to date, my favorite, my favorite part.
But Jackie's coming a close second because drama's such a
new world for me. And I really, I'm really
enjoying playing her. So this time next year it could
she could take over it. Just it's yeah, it's every job
holds. You know.
I did a film called Military Wives with Kristen Scott Thomas
and Sharon Hogan. And it's based on a true story
and it was just a whole ensemble of women and it was just a
really, really special job. And I've got friends for life on
that. And, you know, it was a film,
but it came out during COVID, so we got completely lost.
And. And that, yeah, there's
different jobs have different meanings where you meet your
soul mates or you get to tell a really gorgeous story.
There's another job I was in is called In My Skin.
It's on BBCI think you can get it?
I don't know if you guys can get it.
It's on. Hulu Right now Is it on Hulu?
I started it. I'll have you.
Yeah.
So it's it's a coming of age queer story but mostly it
tackles so many themes. Mental health.
Yeah. And it's I play the the P/E
teachers a bit of a a Dick. She's a Dick but she's queer and
she sort of tries to help the make the lead character the
protagonist come out in her weird way.
But yeah it's it's it can be funny but it is truly, truly
heartbreak and it's and it's based on Kaylee Llewellyn's life
and upbringing and Kaylee's a really, really dear friend of
mine. We've known each, we've known
each other for a very, very long time and she'd sort of written
the part Missus Blocker for me and it was an all female led
kind of creative team directors. Yeah, it was.
I've never seen so many women on a set and it was like, yeah, it
was amazing. So that that's this really
special job for me and we won loads of Bafta's and RTS awards
and Kaylee is now a really big writer and she wrote on killing
Eve and she's busy all part of town like she's yeah, she's gone
Hollywood baby. But you know she's she's doing
really well. So it that was a special job for
me and to see her just completely yeah, Skyrocket is.
So I've got different ones but yeah, I guess in terms of parts
and it would be King Gary. Yeah.
So I'm saying like the long most long winded answers ever that
but you're. Interesting.
So it's fine. Can you imagine?
Like hello. Why's she gone?
Where's she gone? I mean, there's people.
Who give like 2 sentences answers that I'm like I don't
know what else I don't ask questions so is.
Is two seasons typical for that part of the world?
It happens a lot, doesn't it? I just wonder.
I'm curious now. Or should we hold out hope for
season three of Screw? Oh yeah, I I think, I think
drama, they seem to let dramas go on a bit longer over here.
But with with comedies, yeah, they start kind of yeah, you're
right. It's like two seasons and then
bye. That's your lot.
Yeah, I don't know what that is behind it.
We I mean we certainly want to do more King Gary So never say
never. Yeah we'd we'd love to do some
more. I think we'll all come back
together one day. I've just.
Yeah. And we've had conversations so I
don't think I wouldn't rule it out completely but yeah it's
it's kind of yeah the office and and and 99 I mean go on 40
towers they're all like to to see two seasons and that's your
lot. I don't know maybe it says more
about the the the viewing the public maybe that's all leave
them wanting more right. But yeah it's kind of
frustrating sometimes. Yeah.
It's kind of frustrating, especially since.
Like, the seasons are so much shorter over there.
Yeah, because you guys get like 10X, don't you?
Like it's like this. I think we're going down.
To 8 Now like we've been slowly following because it used to be
2422. I mean, then it went down to
like 1816, then it went down to 12, Yeah.
So like we're slowly going down. Yeah.
I mean the the great thing about screws, they're hour longs.
So you do, you know you do get a good you feel like you get time,
but often when you're doing half hour stuff, 6 just doesn't feel
like enough to to complete the story.
And actually when they did the second series of In My Skin,
they only gave Kaylee 5 episodes to tell the story in which she
does beautifully. But it was it was a I just think
it was a really shit mistake. You know it's a BAFTA
award-winning and I don't think they thought it was going to be.
It was against all the odds. It was a tiny little show that
just did so brilliantly well against all the odds and you
know I I think, I think, I think it's it's hard it's a battle
when you're trying to tell a a a female led queer story.
I think it it always feels like a bit of a battle, you know, you
get the L word, they cancel it, you get League of Their Own,
they cancel it and it just, you know, I mean, I'm so.
Upset about it? I've honestly was.
Me and my friends are just texting and what it was like,
the best show, The best show to come out that year, regardless
of whether you're queer or not. Regardless, it was an excellent
show. And I mean, I love the movie.
Growing up, I was obsessed. Completely obsessed.
One of my faves, actually. So when and actually I did put
myself down on tape, I knew I wasn't going to get.
I was like going to go for someone American.
But yeah, yeah. It was like, Oh my God, yeah,
yeah. I mean, I got to audition for.
I didn't get it. But yeah, so I've got.
Yeah. And you just feel like they give
with one hand and take with you and.
And so yeah, it's interesting to it was interesting that they
only gave Kylie 5X and and but she you'd never guess it like
she the way she gets to tell this story in like. 2 1/2 hours
is incredible. But yeah, you should you should
all watch In My Skin Not because I'm in it.
It's just a beautiful story. It'll make you laugh and then
it'll really, you know, kick you in the gut the next.
It's heart wrenching, it's brilliant and it's really
important themes running through it so.
Carry on watching it, Caitlin. Yes, I'm only on like the
second. Episode right now.
But I will definitely keep the first series of the first
series. Yes.
Yeah, Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah.
Second series is like, Oh my God, okay.
Keep going. Do.
So over there, do you deal with shows getting cancelled after
one season as well or is that like more us?
I I think it's it feels less cutthroat over here.
But yeah, yeah, things go after one season here.
It's just you. You just never can tell.
Like with with King Gary it the figures were through the roof,
the catch up figures and that's the other thing over here.
We still do like I think they still count the viewing figures
nightly and no one watches anything as it's happening
anymore. We all binge watch.
We all, you know, I I like to escape into a world.
I'm just doing the morning show currently and yeah, I'm going,
I'm going to do all of that and then I'm on to something else.
I like to sit in that world, do it all and then move on to the
next. And I think that's how most
people, because of all the streaming services now, that's
how most people watch TV and it's unrealistic to to write a
show on whether how they're doing not on on a nightly basis.
People just don't watch TV like that.
So you had a catch up, figures are really great and but it
wasn't that was it. It was like well yeah, but I
don't know if we want to do anymore.
And that was that. It's just, yeah, you can never
tell. And the same league of their
own. I mean that did not struggle.
That did brilliantly. Everyone I knew was watching it.
It was a hit. Madness.
Absolute madness. Abby Jacobson.
Abby and Darcy together. Where I'm just oh don't.
I know, don't. Honestly.
I replayed that scene over and over.
Yeah, so good. So good.
It was so and all the other storylines in it and so, so
brilliant. Yeah, yeah, it was.
And it. And being a massive league,
their own fan, they just put enough stuff nods in from the
film to make me really happy. Yeah, what a shame, huh?
What a shame. Yeah, I can't believe it.
There you go. But it's just that's it.
It's like there's no rhyme or reason if someone waltzes in and
they decide they don't some big wig.
Upstairs, it decides they don't want it.
That's it, right? There's nothing you can do about
it. Yeah, and the fact that they
just tried to. Blame it on the strike is
ridiculous, but that's a whole another story.
I'd heard a rumor anyway, that League of Their Own had only
been given like 4X or something before the writer strikes
anyway, so it's bullshit. They didn't want they didn't
want enough of it on telly, did they?
They wanted to cut it right down.
Why 4? Like, anyway, that's what I
heard people. Probably.
The theory is that they didn't want to be homophobic.
Yeah, right. So we just give them four
crikey. I don't know.
It's worse. If they would have cancelled it
or just given 4 like yeah, like okay.
Mind you'd have taken 4 over nothing, would you?
Yes, just we need more queer shows.
Not getting cancelled after one season.
Yeah, I know. But anyway.
If you could dream as big as possible, what would your dream
project be? Well, I've, I've been writing
for many years, you know, live shows and what not, and I've had
many scripts in development, but nothing's, you know, I've had
them Commission, but then they've not been made.
So my big job, my big dream job is for me to write and star in
my own comedy. I'm close.
I'm really close. I've been very very close with a
few channels it's but it's it's it's so difficult with the with
streamers. Now we have our terrestrial
channels here like channel we've got BBC 1-2, ITV which is 3 and
then channel 4:00 and 5:00 and then then we go into streamers
streaming land like sky and all of that.
And yeah, so yeah, you you kind of have to start as a writer
once those terrestrial channels kind of go, yeah, we're not sure
if we're kind of doing that at the moment or we're not feeling
that maybe make the show this, maybe that you then have to
start going, how would it appeal to a streaming service and then
you have to start writing differently.
So I'm sort of there at the moment.
I've been developing a show for the last four years with
production company and the BBC but.
It's a long, long road and you can sit sit in that on that for
four or five years and they say no.
And we're not looking for that anymore.
Of course you're not. It's five years have passed.
You liked it five years ago. You love the idea now, of
course. Yeah.
So yeah. And I've got other things in
development with other production companies.
So I just want to get something made that I've that I've written
and get it on the telly and be in it.
That would be the dream. That would be the dream.
I can't wait. For that day, I will definitely
be following you and cheering you on the whole way.
Yeah, well, I hope so. Well, yeah, it'll happen.
I'm going to do that thing with the I'm going to get me that
Porsche. It's going to happen.
I won't be British about it. Yeah, it's going to happen.
Manifest. It absolutely so I noticed.
You have a dog named Bosco. Can we just talk about how cute
he is? He's really cute.
He's he's he's on the floor now just in the kitchen, 'cause it's
that's where it's cool. It's so hot here right now.
Ohh, he's the best. He's a toy poodle.
He's got a ridiculous underbite and Oh my God he's my baby.
He's our baby. He's called Bosco.
So my wife is from Dublin and Ireland and she grew up watching
a kids show and the puppet on it was called Bosco.
We were hoping to get a girl at the time and that fell through
and we were going to call her Beryl.
So we always knew that we were going to have a dog called
Beryl. And then we're like, oh, so OK
with this, just a boy. So we'll get a boy.
That's fine. We'll get a boy.
Yeah, we'll have him. We'll have him.
And then we're like what we're going to call him and she's
like, what about Bosco? Like, that's cute.
Let's call him Bosco. He looks nothing like Bosco.
The the, the puppet. He has all that red hair and
whatever, but it's curly and Bosca has curly hair.
So yeah, he's, he's, he's great. He's great, little dude.
I love dogs. You have two dogs, do you or one
dog? So, like, whenever I see them on
Do you have, do you have dogs? Yes, I have a.
Little Yorkie and a mini schnauzer.
Oh, I love miniature schnauzers. My friend has a miniature.
Oh yeah. My friend, I have some
miniatures now I'll bring. Her I'll.
Bring her up afterwards. Yeah, so cute.
She's like that. I'm resting right now.
They sleep so much. Dogs sleep so much they do.
Oh my. God, I was worried at one point.
I'm just going to Google this and it is like, apparently they
should have between 20 to 22 hours a day.
I'm like, that's the whole day. It's like, why are they awake?
Yeah, we need them awake. I need cuddles.
Wake up. So the last.
Question I have is why should people check out screw I?
Think if you like Line of Duty. If you if you want to see a good
drama with brilliant themes and difficult storylines and
important storylines and you like to be and you like on the
edge type dramas. This is the one.
Honestly I think particularly in season 2 you will you are going
to want to know what happens next.
Season one's the same but season 2 is like different gravy.
It's like it's I I forgot just how gripping it it it it it was
you're going to want to know what happens next and just when
you think it's going one way it completely flips and and turns
the other and it's it's a great ensemble character driven piece
and it's got great heart and and it's it's beautifully told and
yeah the script's great it's like just watch it it's really
good but and it really feels British.
It's very British yeah. But it's yes, it's it's yeah
it's it's it's super exciting And we have did you have you
ever seen Dairy Girls? I just.
Started it. I was like, oh shoot, I didn't
really. So, Jamie O'Donnell.
Who's in Derry Girls? She's one of our leads in IT.
And Nina Sasania. I think Nina was in love,
actually. She's in it too.
So we've got like, it's just a real, real sort of heavyweight
kind of cast and great acting, great script, great stories.
Watch it and it's rest. Yes, you're going to.
You're going to eat it up. Amazing.
Laura, it has been amazing getting to know you better.
Thank you so much for talking to me today.
Before we sign off, do you have any final words for the
listeners at home? Yeah.
Watch Screw Screw Yeah, that's it.
Be kind, stay safe. And yeah, and that's it.
Check out Screw. Oh, and my podcast.
Yeah, which is the proper class podcast.
OK, to everyone at home listening, make sure to check
out Screw The Proper Class podcast and everything else that
Laura has worked on because she's amazing.
Oh, until like. No problem, I mean.
I mean that, truly. Until next time, hydrate for
lesbian Jesus and gay it up all over the place.
I love that. And with that, we've been.
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