Steven Merchant to star in new BBC1 Christmas comedy – ‘My dad can fall asleep halfway through!’

Steven Merchant to star in new BBC1 Christmas comedy – ‘My dad can fall asleep halfway through!’
(Image credit: PA Archive/PA Images)

Christmas treat in store for Stephen Merchant fans

Stephen Merchant has joked that his father can start watching his new BBC1 Christmas comedy – and then fall asleep halfway through!

The Office and Extras star is teaming up with Asim Chaudhry for a festive comedy, Click & Collect.

The 60-minute comedy film will see them play two mismatched neighbours who drive across the country to pick up the one toy that will make a little girl’s Christmas dreams come true.

Opening on Christmas Eve, Andrew (Stephen Merchant) has somehow failed to buy his six-year-old the one present she really wants – Sparklehoof the Unicorn Princess.

[Christmas 2018 Highlights]

It seems to have sold out in London, but luckily his annoying neighbour Dev (Asim Chaudhry) has managed to track down the last one in the country. The only problem it’s 300 miles away in Carlisle and they need a Christmas miracle to get it in time.

Stephen says: “Every year, my family watch the big Christmas TV specials and my dad falls asleep half way through. This year, I’m very excited to be starring in a big Christmas TV special that my dad can fall asleep half way through.”

Asim Chaudhry

Asim is delighted to be teaming up with Stephen this Christmas for Click & Collect

Asim adds: “I've been a huge fan of Stephen's work for many years so it's a dream to be working with him! I'm also over the moon about the fact that my ten year old sister can finally watch something I'm in that's family friendly and wholesome, lol.'”

Shane Allen, Controller, BBC Comedy Commissioning, says: "Stephen and Asim are absolutely knockout together in a script bursting with comic incident, hilarity and heart. It's a family comedy treat for your Christmas stocking."

Filming on Click & Collect will start this month. It will be shown on BBC1 this Christmas.

Stephen Merchant and Asim Chaudhry  pictures: PA Archive/PA Images

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.


Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 


David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.


Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!