Staged on BBC1 - Start date, plot and everything you need to know

David Tennant Doctor Who
(Image credit: BBC/GCB Films/Infinity Hill)

Michael Sheen and David Tennant have reunited!

Staged is a new lockdown drama starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen.

The Good Omens stars are reuniting for the project, filmed from their own homes.

Here's everything you need to know...

What is Staged about?

Staged follows actors who were due to star in a West End show, which has promptly been delayed due to coronavirus.

David and Michael play versions of themselves, which sees them attempting to read the first scene.

But it's not that simple, as they need to try and dodge all the distractions that come with lockdown.

Whether it's distractions such as homeschooling or just pure boredom, will they be able to get through the scene?

See more

Michael said of the show, "What can I tell you about the show? Well, it's about two young, plucky, upcoming actors David and Michael.

"We play ourselves - David Tennant and myself - we’re the best casting for it. The premise is that we were going to be doing a play together. Then lockdown happened and the director of the play, Simon, who also plays himself, wants to try and keep things going whilst we're in lockdown and puts forward the idea that we can rehearse using video calls.

"Then when lockdown finishes we'll be ready to go into a theatre before anyone else. That idea goes down better with David than it does with me. The rest of the episodes are about how that plays itself out."

Is the series improvised?

Staged is scripted, but the stars were able to go off piste at points to make it more authentic.

David Tennant added, "There is a script, which sometimes we follow quite strictly and sometimes use as a starting point to talk nonsense to each other.

"There’s a certain liberation in playing a version of yourself. We would always start with the script but sometimes we ended up somewhere else.

Staged

David Tennant and Michael Sheen play versions of themselves in lockdown! (Credit: Getty)

Who else stars in Staged?

David and Michael's respective partners will make an appearance in the lockdown comedy.

When asked about working with their families, David revealed there were a lot of outtakes.

He said, "The kids found it all a bit annoying I think. There are a couple of outtakes where one of the children would wander in and ask for a snack or want help with something, but mostly they were pretty disinterested.

"Because both Michael and Anna, and Georgia and I both have very young babies, the schedule had to work around bath times and bedtimes."

There's also a few other guest stars including Last Tango in Halifax's Nina Sosanya.

When can we watch it?

Staged will air on BBC1 at 10.45pm on Wednesday 10th June.

Episodes will later be available via BBC iPlayer as a boxset.

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.


She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress