Latest News

Fireworks at the Villa Lucia!
24/12/09: My Hero script writer Paul Mendelson's radio comedy Fireworks at the Villa Lucia!, starring Sammantha Bond, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on New Year's Eve.

Described as an original Neapolitan radio comedy, the Radio Times has selected Mendelson's story as a Pick of the Day for Christmas. "If you can only watch one TV show, listen to one radio programme or see one film on television each day this festive season, this is what you must tune in for."

When Pete (played by Philip Whitchurch, who played Tyler in My Hero), a jobbing TV scriptwriter who's jobbing less and less, goes on holiday to get away from the downward spiral of his career and breathe some fresh life into his marriage.

Finding himself booked into the same hotel in the Bay of Naples as a cult Hollywood director, who's on holiday to get away from movies and writers, Peter tries to pitch his cherished movie idea.

Knowing any director would run a mile from a struggling TV writer brandishing a dog-eared movie script, Pete hits on a ruse to "sell" his script – he'll intrigue the guy by pretending his fiction is the true story of how he and Julie (Bond) met.

Farcical misunderstandings ensue as Julie is forced to pass herself off as the script's main character – a fiery Venezuelan ex-soap star – with Pete masquerading as her psychoanalyst. And, as Julie gets into playing the role, she begins to re-write the script on the hoof giving the character a third split in her personality.

• Fireworks at the Villa Lucia! will be broadcast on Thursday 31st December on BBC Radio 4 at 2.15pm

My Hero director, producer John Stroud Dead at Just 54

24/8/09: We're very sorry to report that My Hero and producer and director John Stroud has died aged 54 of a brain tumour.

John, who was also co-founder of Big Bear Films with Marcus Mortimer and is probably best known for his work on My Hero, enjoyed a TV career that spanned 30 years, from joining Thames Television as a trainee to setting up the indie in 1996.

Both John and Marcus were keen to use their experience to hothouse new writers, as well as developing projects with more familiar talents and produced six seasons of My Hero, as well as the upcoming BBC circus-based comedy Big Top (due to screen later this year on BBC1) and The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook, a rare foray into factual fare. (John discovered The Hairy Bikers, brought them to Big Bear and co-produced and/or directed 21 episodes of The Hairy Bikers Cookbook and The Hairy Bikers Ride Again and a special for BBC 2).

A Cambridge Footlights contemporary of Griff Rhys Jones, Jimmy Mulville and Peter Fincham, Stroud’s first TV credits included Rainbow and The Sooty Show, where he notoriously secured an appearance by punk group UK Subs.

John, who is survived by a wife and two children, made his name with Channel 4 sketch show Who Dares Wins, he directed shows such as Spitting Image, Harry Enfield and Chums and the final episode of Minder.

While we were covering production of My Hero John was a wonderful supporter of this micro site, providing valuable background material and more to the making of the show. We're sure he will be much missed.

• You can read our 2005 interview with John here

Big Top Comes to BBC1

24/8/09: On its way to BBC 1 this autumon from Big Bear, makers of My Hero, is a new 'high concept'family comedy, Big Top.

It’s set in and around a travelling circus and isi about the performers and backstage staff that make up Circus Maestro. Each week a story is unfolded, erected, performed and taken down just like the big top itself.

As you'd expect, the circus is fraught with problems, which the Ring Mistress (Lizzie, played by Amanda Holden) must overcome. What do you do when you’ve advertised a death-defying stunt which everyone has bought tickets to see, and the performer is just that little bit too injured? How do you manage a group of people who are so jealous of each other they are happy to sabotage their colleagues performances; or so dedicated as performers, that they are willing to sabotage their own survival? When the star acrobat is being chased by immigration, how do you hold on to him? Big Top's characters clash with a cacophony of egos and Lizzie must keep the whole thing going... somehow.

Big Top stars:

• Amanda Holden as Lizzie, The Ringmistress, keeping the show going against all odds;
• John Thomson and Sophie Thompson as Geoff and Helen, The Clowns, a husband and wife team. Geoff thinks he knows more about comedy than anyone, but hasn’t a funny bone in his body. Helen is his long suffering wife.
• Tony Robinson as Erasmus is the soundman and accountant. He is cynical, manipulative and callous and will do anything to make a quick buck. His attitude to the other performers borders on contempt.
• Ruth Madoc as Georgie and David the Dog. Georgie is the “Grande Dame” of Circus Maestro and now works with a dog, whom she often uses to get what she wants – “David’s not happy with the size of our caravan” - In truth she couldn’t care less about the dog.
• Bruce MacKinnon as Boyco, the East European Acrobat. Without Boyco, Circus Maestro would go down the pan. He is dazzlingly talented and incredibly naïve to the ways of the English World. As a result, everyone tries to take advantage of him.

No Heroics Previewed
15/7/08: Over on Comic Book Resources, Rich Johnston has published a preview, complete with several photographs, of ITV2's new superhero sitcom No Heroics, as part of his latest Lying in the Gutters comics news and gossip column. The show is being executiove produced by one of the former My Hero team.

The show, set to debut later this year, is currently being previewed for the press, so expect more mainstream media to pick up on the new show, which is being produced by Tiger Aspect.

Created and produced by Drew Pearce, whose credits include ITV2's magazine reality show Deadline, No Heroics is ITV2's first original sitcom, and centres on the lives of four London-based off-duty superheroes and their struggles in love and with fame - or the lack of it. The show sees the off-duty superheroes living their day to day life, which for supposed saviours of the world is actually rather normal – as they just can’t be bothered. Instead, this group of b-listers would rather get drunk in their local superheroes-only pub, The Fortress and commiserate at their lack of superiority.

No Heroics is directed by Ben Gregor and executive produced by Sophie Clarke-Jevoise, who also worked behind the scenes on BBC1's My Hero series as its executive producer. The show stars Patrick Baladi as Excelsior - the strongest of the heroes and bane of the Hotness’ life), Nicholas Burns (as the Hotness, a heat-controlling hero desperate to save, well something…), James Lance (who plays Timebomb, who can see sixty seconds into the future), Claire Keelan (as Electroclash, who can control machines but prefers to use her powers to empty out cigarette machines) and Rebekah Staton (who plays super-strong She-Force, a mighty heroine who’s more interested in waiting for Mr Right to sweep her off her feet). Commissioned by the ITV2 controller, Zai Bennett, and the ITV editor of comedy, Michaela Hennessey-Vass, the initial commission was for eight episodes and is seen by ITV2 as part of a wider strategy to develop its comedy output. "This is a perfect ITV2 comedy," commented Bennett last year, when the show was first announced. "It's witty, accessible and laugh-out-loud funny, and is being produced with real passion from a great team." For creator Drew Pearce, No Heroics is an opportunity to put a British take on superheroes. "Plus, I have about 20 years' worth of comic books that I'm looking forward to finally being able to claim as expenses."
• ITV2 web site: itv2.itv.com
• Fan Site: www.noheroics.com

Doon Mackichan and Ardal O'Hanlan play husband and wife Maggie and Spike. Photo © BBC

HAPPY MONDAYS!
11/6/08: My Hero and Father Ted star Ardal O'Hanlon stars in a new sitcom for radio which starts on Monday on BBC Radio 4.

Spike's Lookalikes is stand-up comedian Mark Watson's first sitcom for Radio 4 and the first of three episodes will air on Monday 16 June at 11.00pm.

Ardal plays Spike, whose efforts to run a successful lookalikes agency are continually undermined – invariably by himself. His client list is diverse, if nothing else, and includes a Del Boy, a Posh Spice and a Pope John Paul II.

Loveable but thoroughly useless, Spike is bailed out on a regular basis by his wife, Maggie, office boy and lookalike wannabe Phil, and their friends, Jimmy and Sandie.

In the first episode, To Del And Back, Jimmy, Spike's Del Boy impersonator, has had enough and has decided to pack in the lookalikes game and fulfil his dream of being a dentist in Spain. But as Jimmy is about the only one of Spike's clients who actually gets booked, Spike has to pull out all the stops to change his mind.

Spike's Lookalikes also stars Doon Mackichan and Bruce Mackinnon.

BEWITCHED REBORN FOR THE UK
16/11/07: The classic US sitcom Bewitched is set for a British makeover by My Hero creator Paul Mendelson.
Broadcast reports Sony Pictures Television International, which owns the rights to the original show, has agreed to a UK adaptation, which is likely to be made for the BBC.
Paul told downthetubes the pilot will be shot early next year at Teddington Studios, which is also where My Hero was shot. The cast has yet to be announced but he hopes to be able to share the information soon, but says "it's a goodie!"
Paul Mendelson, who in addition to My Hero also created the BBC1 sitcoms May to December and So Haunt Me is now in talks with the BBC about a full series. If accepted, the show would strengthen the BBC's relationship with Sony, which has sold the Dragons' Den format around the world.
The original ABC series ran for eight series from 1964 to 1972 and spawned spin-off show Tabitha and inspired a big screen remake starring starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. It starred Dick York (and, later, Dick Sargeant) as a man who discovered he was married to a witch, Samantha, played by Elizabeth Montgomery. Agnes Moorhead played the wicked mother-in-law, Endora. None of the major cast of the show are still alive (see this list for more information).

• Buy the original Bewitched on DVD from amazon.co.uk
• Buy the original Bewitched on DVD from amazon.com
• More about the original show on www.bewitched.net
• Read our interview with Paul on the making of My Hero

MY HERO ON DVD
16/11/07: Some episodes of My Hero are available on DVD in both NTSC and PAL editions. here's the current information:

• Buy My Hero Season 1 (NTSC) from amazon.com • from amazon.co.uk
• Buy My Hero Season 2 (NTSC) from amazon.com • from amazon.co.uk

• Buy My Hero Season 3 (PAL) Episodes 1 - 5 from amazon.co.uk
• Buy My Hero Season 3 (PAL) Episodes 6 - 10 from amazon.co.uk

MY HERO NO MORE
25/9/06: downthetubes is sorry to report that My Hero is no more.
"The BBC have said - very graciously I have say - no more My Heros thank you," says series creator Paul Mendelson says, in an email thanking dtb for its coverage of the show. "Thank you so much for your unwavering support over the years.
"I hope My Hero lives on (I think there's going to be DVD's) - and hopefully one day it will be re-formated somewhere.
It seems the double whammy of a new lead for the show - James Dreyfus - who, based on the ratings, did not appeal to the general public or the show's fan base, and the show's low ratings up against Channel 4's Big Brother were the reasons for the show's cancellation.
I'm sure every My Hero here will join me in thanking everyone involved in the show for bringing so much enjoyment down the years and we all look forward to seeing what Big Bear Films come up with next. This includes a new BBC2 comedy seriesin development called Mud, written by Ian Brown and James Hendrie (My Family, Home Again) and Me and Mr Bones, another new comndey by My Hero writer Katie Douglas, a prize-winning writer who has several original TV projects in development.

• DVDs of both series of Hairy Bikers were released by the BBC on 15 May 2006: Click here to buy them from Amazon.co.uk
• Buy The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook from amazon.co.uk

Production Notes
• Click here to go to our Cast Page

Production Team
Created by: Paul Mendelson, who also created May to December and So Haunt Me
• Read Superheroes from Suburbia, our interview with Paul
• Read an interview with Paul Mendelson by Ryan K. Johnson on his site
• Click here to read a recording report and find out how a show was recorded

Writers: Paul Mendelson, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Simon Braithwaite and Paul Alexander and many otherss
Director: John Stroud
Music: Phillip Pope
Costume Design: Sally Plum
Initial Broadcaster: BBC1. You can read their guide to the show at:
www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/m/myhero_66602550.shtml
In the UK, My Hero also screens on the digital channel UK Gold.
View a clip of 'Baby Sunday' in action:
www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/m/video_clips/myhero_66602550_1.shtml
Production Company: BBC Television/Big Bear Films. Directed by John Stroud. Produced by: Marcus Mortimer and John Stroud Executive Producer: Geoffrey Perkins
Big Bear Films Limited is a company specialising in the development and production of comedy and drama. Behind the company’s formation lies a single principle: that all great television comedy and drama begins with good writing. Big Bear Films is determined to offer the encouragement and rewards that good writers deserve, but do not always receive.
Big Bear Films was formed in 1996 by two producer/directors, Marcus Mortimer and John Stroud. Both were keen to use their experience to hothouse new writers, as well as developing projects with more familiar talents.Among the writers currently in discussions with the company are stand-up comedian John Dowie, Phil Ford (Coronation Street, Taggart), Paul Mendelson (May to December, So Haunt Me), Alan Clews (Made in Heaven, Love Hurts) and Lizzie Mickery (Heartbeat,The Ice Room).

US Screenings
15/11/07: Please note: this list has not been updated for some time.
My Hero screens on many PBS stations across the USA and BBC America. The site inclides a My Hero discussion board: http://discussions.bbcamerica.com/forum.jspa?forumID=43.

To locate your nearest PBS station use the station finder facility on the PBS web site:
www.pbs.org/whatson/index.html

Special thanks to WILL-TV Program Director David Thiel for giving me much more information on which PBS stations are now screening My Hero as of October 2002. If you're a WILL viewer, make sure you pledge to help that station along! (And any PBS station, come to that!)

BBC America (as of 19 November 2003) Wednesdays at 9.00pm/et, 6 and 9 pm/pt. (Season2). One US fan tells us (14/11/03): "BBC America has been repeating Season One for what seems like forever!" So this is good news...

Alabama
• Georgia Public Television Screening as of 23 October 2002: Not currently screening
Previously aired on: 11.30pm Saturday nights
Susan De wrote from Savannah, Georgia USA in December to say that My Hero was recently added to a line up of "Britcoms" the Georgia Public Television station plays on Saturday nights. "We also get Are you Being Served, As Time Goes By, and The Vicar of Dibley", says Susan. "These shows are the highlight of my week (as far as television goes :) My Hero is a great addition!"
The station is out of Atlanta. They have affiliates all over Georgia. (Thanks, Susan! Thanks also to Chip Allen - updated 24/5/02)

Arizona
• KNME-TV/Channel 5 Screenings as of 23 October 2002: Sundays 10.30pm
A service of The University of New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools.

Arkansas
• Louisiana Public Broadcasting Screenings as of 10/9/02: Not currently on air
LPB is a big fan of Britcoms, with its own Britcom Fan Club. For those of you who just want to know which programs they're airing, check out their Britcom Lineup page. If you have any deep probing questions about their Club call 1-800-272-8161, ext. 4211 or 4274.

California
• KOCE (Southern California) Screenings as of 23 October 2002: Friday evenings at 10.00pm (thanks to Jocelyn)

• KRCB/Channel 22 (Rohnert Park) Screenings as of 23 October 2002: 7.00pm, Sundays

Florida
• WEDU-TV Channel 3 in Tampa, Florida Screenings as of 10/9/02: Saturdays, 10.00pm
Began screening My Hero on Saturdays at 10.00pm in July 2002 (thanks to Miguel - added 7 July 2002)

• WUFT, PBS's University of Florida station Screenings as of 10/9/02: No info
B egan broadcasting My Hero on Sunday 24 February at 9.30pm. (Thanks to Kara Bridgman)

Illinois
• WILL AM-FM-TV Servicing the Univeristy of Illinois. Screenings as of 24/10/02: My Hero was the winner of a pledge drive vote last year. The show began airing 27 july 2002, and currently airs on Saturdays at 9.30 pm. The station also airs Ardal O'Hanlon's Father Ted on Saturdays at 11.15 pm. (thanks for this information from Program Director David Thiel, whos says "It's a fun series, and I'm glad to see that it's still in production.") Incidentally, WILL is one of only 16 PBS stations still running Doctor Who in the US. Way to go!

• WSIU (Carbondale, Illinois) Screenings as of 24/10/02: Saturdays at 9:30 pm

Iowa
• Iowa Public Television Screening as of 10/9/02: Series 3, 9.30pm Saturdays
"We broadcast the series on Saturday nights at 9.30 p.m," writes Cyndy Robbins from the station's programing division, after she happened across this humble page. "It's part of our Saturday night Britcom lineup," Cyndy continues, "which also includes Are You Being Served? Again!, Last of the Summer Wine, and The Vicar of Dibley." (Thanks Cyndy! Added 24/5/002). The site includes a RealTime clip from the show (courtesy of the BBC) on this page.

Minnesota
• Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota Screenings as of March 2005: TPT have just started airing Season Five.

New Mexico
• KNME (Albuquerque, New Mexico) Screenings as of 24/10/02: Sundays at 10:30 pm

New York
• NJN (New Jersey Network Television - PBS) Screenings as of 13/10/03: screening season 4 on Saturday nights at 10.30. (Thanks to John E. Santomas)

• WMHT The New York Capital Region station Screenings as of 10/9/02: begins again on 13 October (Sundays) at 11.00am.

North Carolina
• UNC-TV Screenings as of 27/10/05: Thursday nights at 8.30pm: Season 5 starts screening from 3/11/05. (Thanks to David Windhorst)

Ohio
• WNEO/WEAO (Alliance/Akron, Ohio) Screenings as of 24/10/02: Saturdays at 10.30 pm

• WOSU Channel 34 out of Columbus, Ohio. Screenings as of 17/10/02: Airs My Hero on Monday - Thursday nights at 11.30pm. Sometimes another PBS show axes it, but it's pretty regular. (Thanks to Hiedi and also Tammy Hendershot)

Oregon
• Oregon Public Broadcasting Screenings as of 5/10/03: 9.30pm Saturdays. Repeating season four
Serving communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington. (Thanks to Zane)

• KSYS/KFTS (Medford/Klamath Falls, Oregon) Screenings as of 24/10/02: Saturdays at 8.30 pm.
Generally in Jackson and Josephine counties on channel 8. Generally in Klamath county on channel 22.

Pennsylvania
• WHYY-TV (PBS - Channel 12) Philadelphia. Screenings as of 12/5/03: Currently screening
season 3 Sunday nights at 11.oo pm. (Thanks to John E. Santomas)

Texas
• KERA (PBS in the Dallas/Ft Worth area) Screening as of 1/3/04: 11pm Sundays (thanks to Steve)
KERA screens My Hero along with numerous other UK shows. "We love it!" writes Michael Bialas. "We like the web site and I was looking for more info about Emily Joyce, she's cute." (Thanks to Michael and Shelli - updated 21/5/02). The station also screens Goodnight Sweetheart.

• KLRU (Channel 18 / Cable 9 ) Screening as of February 2005: Season Five (Thanks to John Buczek)

• Maryland Public Television Screenings as of 24/10/02: My Hero is on sabbatical. "The audience response has been negligible," a spokesperson for the station told me. "Viewers tell us they want to see the old favourites." However, MPT will bring My Hero back in early summer 2003.

Utah
• As of 30/8/04: KUED Ch 7 Saturday nights at 11.00pm

Virginia
• WSWP/WNPB/WPBY (Beckley/Morgantown/Huntington, West Virginia)Screenings as of 24/10/02: Saturdays at 10.00 am
• UNC-TV Screenings as of 12/5/03: Saturday nights at 10.00pm. This channel serves North Carolina and parts of Virginia. (Thanks to Phil)

Washington
• KBTC/KCKA (Tacoma/Centralia, Washington) Screenings as of 24/10/02: Saturdays at 8.30 pm


Australia
23/4/06 (thanks to Adrian J. Watts): My Hero is also shown on the subscription TV channel UKTV (albeit several months behind the ABC).
14/3/05: ABC Australia has started reshowing My Hero at 2.30pm on Fridays. "They seem to have started at the beginning only a few weeks ago (beginning of March) without telling anyone," says fan Peter Fallon, "So I missed the pilot episode again. Anyhow, fans should know that they seem to be re-running the lot." There's no word on whether ABC have purchased Season 5 yet.
Laurel Considine wrote to me back in January 2002 that My Hero in Australia " a bit of a sleeper as they don't advertise much but I have pointed a few people in its direction since I stumbled onto it and they think it is a crackup (This is a good thing!)... I haven't laughed so hard for ages."

Canada
As of 26/10/03: My Hero screened on BBC Kids. Night at Migdnight, season three.

France
BBC Prime has the rights to screen My Hero. (Thanks to Andrew Thomas)

Holland
• Read a Dutch review of My Hero (or Thermoman, as it's called there): Go. Can't read Dutch? Run it through Babelfish.

New Zealand
As of 28/10/02: My Hero (Season 2) is screening on New Zealand's biggest channel, TV1, on Saturdays at 7.00pm. "That's a pretty prime time, although weekend viewing is obviously lower as people go out of a Saturday night," writes John Davies. (Thanks to several people who e-mailed from NZ to let me know about this).

Portugal
• "Meu herói" As of 10/9/02: Series 3 screens on R.T.P. 2 every Sundays at 24:00. (thanks to Rui for this who says My Hero is "one of the best Comi Shows I've ever seen... My Hero is a success here in Portugal.")

South Africa
Used to screen as part of a Sunday comedy hour on SABC3.

• Read a review in The South African paper, The Herald: Go
Sample: "This 2001 BBC sitcom brilliantly spoofs the superhero adventure genre... The cast is rounded out by some other nutty characters, especially Geraldine McNulty as Mrs Raven, the sharp-tongued doctor's receptionist who abuses all comers to the surgery, and Hugh Dennis as Dr Piers Crispin, the clinic's doctor, who is far more concerned about his career as a TV medic than actually practising medicine."

OTHER LINKS
• Big Bear Films
Link: www.bigbearfilms
The independent TV company which produced My Hero.

• BBC My Hero Page
Not a great amount about the show really, but there is an interview with Ardal

• BBC America My Hero page

• TV Tome Episode Guide and other Information
This is a terrific all-round site about TV, packed with episode Guides and more, and of course My Hero is included.

• British TV Comedy My Hero Page

• British SitCom Guide: My Hero

• Chortle: Ardal O'Hanlon interview

•Emma's My Hero Page
Flash-based web site. Not a lot here yet (as of August 2003) except for a cast list some screen grabs I've seen on other sites.

• Ardal O' Hanlon site: My Hero tribute

REGION TWO
My Hero Season 3 was released on two Region 2 DVDs (Europe, Middle East & Japan only) by Imc Vision Ltd in October 2002. DVD One covers episodes 1 - 5 and DVD Two 6 - 10.
"I'm not entirely impressed with the special features on My Hero," writes contributor Dawn Ploughman. "There simply isn't enough! All very amusing of course."
You can buy both from Amazon.co.uk.

• Buy My Hero Season 3 (PAL) Episodes 1 - 5 from amazon.co.uk
• Buy My Hero Season 3 (PAL) Episodes 6 - 10 from amazon.co.uk

Want to see more My Hero on DVD?
BBC Worldwide is responsible for marketing BBC shows internationally and we suggest you contact them with any enquiries. The web site also has information for businesses interested in taking out licenses for BBC products - you know, My Hero lunchboxes, costumes, action figures etc...

BBC Worldwide Limited
Woodlands
80 Wood Lane
London W12 0TT
UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8433 2000
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 8749 0538

• BBC New Writing
Drama, Entertainment and Children's Programmes Room 222 Broadcasting House W1A 1AA 020 7765 2703
The BBC's new department seeking out new writing talent.

• SitsVac
Comics creator Kev Sutherland has compiled this brilliant site on comdey writing as part of the process of in his show The SitCom Trials, which has aired on ITV and often tours the country. It's packed with invaluable comedy writing tips, script samples and much more. There's also a discussion group you can join. Brilliant!