Daddy Issues: cast, plot, first look and everything you need to know

Daddy Issues on BBC3 stars Aimee Lou Wood while David Morrissey plays a grandad-to-be.
Daddy Issues on BBC3 stars Aimee Lou Wood while David Morrissey plays a grandad-to-be. (Image credit: BBC)

Daddy Issues on BBC3 and BBCiPlayer is an odd-couple comedy series about a pregnant young woman with no one to rely on but her useless father. Made by the team behind White Gold and The Inbetweeners and written by Brassic’s Danielle Ward, the six-parter stars Sex Education’s Aimee Lou Wood as Gemma, a woman who falls pregnant after a meaningless hook up and has nobody to turn to except her father Malcolm (Sherwood’s David Morrissey), a kindly man with zero life skills. 

"It had been a very long time since a script had made me laugh out loud. Danielle’s did exactly that,” says Aimee Lou Wood. “Then when I heard David was involved, I was even more excited. He’s someone I have admired throughout my life. Watching shows like Blackpool and Red Riding when I was younger fuelled my interest in acting and so it feels surreal and amazing to be working with someone I class as a legend and inspiration." 

David Morrissey adds: "I’m delighted to be working with Aimee Lou Wood as she's someone I've admired for a while now. She’s a truly unique and gifted talent. Danielle has crafted such a funny and heartfelt piece and I’m so excited to be part of it,” 

Here’s everything you need to know about Daddy Issues on BBC3 and BBCiPlayer...

Daddy Issues release date

Daddy Issues is a six-part comedy the launches on BBC3 and BBCiPlayer in 2024. There’s no confirmed released date yet but as soon as one is announced, we’ll update you on here.  

Daddy Issues plot 

In Daddy Issues, Gemma (Aimee Lou Wood) is a carefree, party-lover from Stockport, near Manchester, who becomes pregnant after joining the mile-high club with a random hook-up on her flight home from Portugal. 

The news couldn’t have come at a worse time and Gemma has no one to turn to other than her dad Malcolm (David Morrissey), a man who can’t even boil an egg or load a washing machine. Malcolm moves in with Gemma at a time when they are both in desperate need of support but, along the way, they face dating disasters, failed romances, a psychotic antenatal teacher, family politics and toxic friendships. 

Daddy Issues cast — Aimee Lou Wood as Gemma

Pregnant Gemma is played by Aimee Lou Wood. She is best known for her role as lovable Aimee Gibbs in the smash hit Netflix series Sex Education. She’s also starred in Living, Alice and Jack, On The Edge and The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. 

Aimee Lou Wood as Aimee Gibbs in Sex Education season 4.

Aimee Lou Wood as Aimee Gibbs in Sex Education season 4. (Image credit: Netflix)

David Morrissey as Malcom

Gemma's father Malcolm is played by David Morrissey. He's had a long and hugely successful career, with roles in hits such as Sherwood, The Long Shadow, Britannia, The Singapore Grip and The Walking Dead. He’s also starred in Robin Hood, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Basic Instinct 2, Poirot, South Riding and The Missing

The Long Shadow episode 4 recap.

David Morrissey in The Long Shadow, the ITV1 series in 2023 about the Yorkshire Ripper. (Image credit: ITV)

Who else is starring in Daddy Issues? 

The remaining cast of Daddy Issues includes Tom Stourton (Stath Lets Flats), Susan Lynch (Sex Education), Susannah Fielding (This Time with Alan Partridge), Lauren O'Rourke (Henpocalypse), Cyril Nri (The Bill), Cora Kirk (Your Christmas Or Mine, Grantchester), Perry Fitzgerald (Line of Duty), Claire Keelan (The Trip), Damien Molony (Brassic), Sherrie Hewson (Corrie, Benidorm), Humphrey Ker (Welcome to Wrexham) and David Reed (Ghosts).

Is there a trailer for Daddy Issues? 

No, but if and when the BBC release one, we’ll post it on here for you to enjoy. 

Behind the scenes and more on Daddy Issues

Daddy Issues is a six-part series written by Danielle Ward (Brassic, In The Long Run) and is a Fudge Park production for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by the BBC's Jon Petrie (see below).

The directors of Daddy Issues are Catherine Morshead (The Full Monty, No Offence) and Damon Beesley (White Gold, The Inbetweeners 2). The Producer is Lynn Roberts (Man Like Mobeen, I Hate You) and executive produced by Phil Gilbert (Count Abdulla, White Gold) for Fudge Park Productions, alongside Aimee Lou Wood, David Morrissey, Danielle Ward and Damon Beesley. The commissioner for the BBC is Seb Barwell. Fremantle is handling global sales.

Jon Petrie, who is Director of Comedy Commissioning at the BBC, says: “In Daddy Issues, Danielle has created a genuinely laugh-out-loud sitcom. We’re delighted to be working with her, and the Fudge Park team, on the show. Having Aimee and David cast as the co-leads was the cherry on the cake.”

Nicholas Cannon
TV Content Director on TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week

I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.