The Reluctant Vampire: cast, plot and everything we know

The Reluctant Vampire is a comedy series that stars young actor Lenny Rush from Am I Being Unreasonable? Lenny plays vampire Val who has a secret to hide, for Val is really a human, which is why he’s always felt like a misfit in his family.

Written by Rob and Neil Gibbons, the series is based on The Reluctant Vampire books by Eric Morecambe, the late legendary British comedian, famous for his TV partnership with Ernie Wise. It's a coming-of-age tale about finding your own identity and Lenny Rush admits he can’t wait for it to hit our screens.

“How lucky am I to bring to life something from the mind of comedy legend Eric Morecambe?” says Lenny. “I just love Rob and Neil’s interpretation, so many jokes and brilliant ideas. The flying might be a stretch, but I’m game for anything!”

Here’s everything you need to know about BBC1 series The Reluctant Vampire…

The Reluctant Vampire release date 

The six-episode series will air on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer in 2026. When an official date is announced, we’ll let you know on here.

The Reluctant Vampire plot 

Set in a picturesque English village, The Reluctant Vampire follows the vampires who live in a castle on the hill and come out at night to feast on the blood of the locals.

It follows Val, who has always felt he doesn’t fit in with his traditional vampire family. Then, he has a surprise encounter with his reflection and realises he’s not actually a vampire at all. That leaves Val trying to work out who he really is and whether he fits in better with the human villagers, who despise and fear the vampires. And his discovery leaves him caught between two worlds, those he loves and where he belongs.

The Reluctant Vampire cast — Lenny Rush as Val

Lenny Rush plays human ‘vampire’ Val in The Reluctant Vampire. He currently stars in Daisy May Cooper’s Am I Being Unreasonable? as Ollie and has also been in Dodger, Doctor Who, Renegade Nell, The Queen Mary, A Christmas Carol, The Dumping Ground and Enola Holmes 2. Lenny has also been a storyteller on the CBeebies Bedtime Story and a co-host of Children in Need.

Lenny Rush recently posted himself on Instagram with the famous Eric Morecambe book of The Reluctant Vampire, to show his excitement. Take a look below...

Who else is starring?

Other cast for The Reluctant Vampire have yet to be announce but as soon as they are we will update this page.

Is there a trailer? 

No trailer is available yet but we'll post as soon as one arrives!

Behind the scenes and more on The Reluctant Vampire

The Reluctant Vampire is a six-part comedy series commissioned for BBC iPlayer and BBC One by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy Commissioning. Written by Rob Gibbons and Neil Gibbons, the executive producer is Shane Allen and the series producer is Ali Marlow.

Commissioning Editors for the BBC are Ben Caudell and Navi Lamba. BBC Studios, which has a minority investment stake in Boffola Pictures, will handle global sales.

Shane Allen, executive producer, Boffola Pictures, says: “This book was a childhood favourite and the stars aligned the day Lenny arrived on the Am I Being Unreasonable? set. He is superb at playing the guy in a tight spot, his comic timing is second to none.”

Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy, BBC says: "The Reluctant Vampire is exactly the kind of distinctive comedy we're passionate about at the BBC. Rob and Neil Gibbons have brilliantly adapted Eric Morecambe's work into a sharp, character-driven sitcom that delivers both big laughs and genuine emotion. With the incredibly talented Lenny Rush in the lead role, we're confident this will become one of the standout comedies of the year."

Rob and Neil Gibbons add: “According to Slavic folklore, vampires are nocturnal parasites who prey on the blood of humans. During often frenzied attacks, they target the neck, using razor-sharp canine teeth to puncture the carotid artery and gorge on blood, leaving victims lifeless and defiled. We look forward to bringing their story to a BBC family audience in the new year."