Miles Jupp wrote and stars as Damien Trench, a cookery writer whose recipes work perfectly while his life collapses around him. Living in Queen's Park with partner Justin Edwards's Anthony, Damien attempts to chronicle his culinary habits for a new book but instead records three half-hour disasters involving builders Mr Mullaney and Steven, plus his agent Iain. The BBC Four series ran from 11 to 25 March 2015 before cancellation after three episodes.
The television adaptation grew from Jupp's Radio 4 series, with a 2013 pilot directed by Mandie Fletcher for BBC Two. BBC Comedy produced the final version, keeping the original's format of Damien's diary entries framing each domestic catastrophe. Production moved to BBC Four, where the show's precise observation of middle-class pretensions found its natural home among the channel's other single-camera comedies.
Damien's particular torture involves maintaining standards while everything decays: his kitchen remains pristine while relationships crumble, recipes succeed while conversations fail, and his quest for perfection produces only escalating humiliation. The series captures that specific north London condition where agas, artisanal ingredients and anxiety collide.
Production Details
BBC Four / 1 Season / 3 Episodes / 2015 - Present
Created by: Miles Jupp
Writer(s): Miles Jupp
Producer(s): Mandie Fletcher
Main Cast
Justin Edwards as Anthony McIlvanney
Miles Jupp as Damien Trench
Brendan Dempsey as Mr Mullaney
Selina Cadell as Janet Trench
Shaquille Ali-Yebuah as Scotty
