Lenny Rush to Star in BBC Comedy 'The Reluctant Vampire'

Vampire fiction has always been popular, whether on the printed page, the big screen, or streaming services. From more overtly prestige properties like Interview with the Vampire and True Blood to soapy romances like The Vampire Diaries and Twilight, we’ve always been fascinated by this particular idea of the undead and the questions of immortality, morality, and freedom they explore. But the BBC’s latest vampire-themed offering won’t be much like these. Instead, The Reluctant Vampire sounds as though it’s laser-targeted to fill the What We Do in the Shadows-shaped hole in our hearts. 

The supernatural comedy will follow the story of a young vampire named Val who, despite being raised by a very typical (and very undead) family, discovers that he’s not actually a vampire at all. Forced to live a double life, he’ll have to teach himself about the ways of mortals and figure out what it means to be human.

Based on the books by the late comedian Eric Morecambe, The Relucant Vampire is a heartwarming coming-of-age tale about finding your own identity, the never-ending struggle to fit in, and the tension between family and social life. Am I Being Unreasonable? breakout star Lenny Rush is set to play Val, with further casting to be announced.

“How lucky am I to bring to life something from the mind of comedy legend Eric Morecambe?” Rush said in a statement. “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 the series synopsis. 

Set in a timeless English village, where everything is picturesque, everything, that is, except for the vampires living in the castle on the hill who come out at night for a little drink of the locals.

Val has been raised in a very typical vampire family but has always felt a bit different and hopelessly inept at rising to meet his Dad’s high standards. Following a surprise encounter with his reflection, he realises he is not undead, not in the least bit.

Now with a big secret to hide, Val must navigate finding out who he truly is, by mingling with the locals to learn the intricacies of their behaviour and what it means to be human. Caught between two worlds as he loves his Mum and Dad (not so much his jealous brother) and has full vampire duties expected of him by his father, whose obsession with the traditional way of life is tricky when they’re undead and the villagers despise them.
 

"The Reluctant Vampire is exactly the kind of distinctive comedy we're passionate about at the BBC," Jon Petrie, the Director of Comedy, BBC, said. "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."

The six-part series is written by Rob Gibbons and Neil Gibbons, and hails from Boffola Pictures. Shane Allen is the executive producer, with Ali Marlow as series producer. The 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.

The Reluctant Vampire does not yet have a release date or a U.S. distributor. 

(Though if you ask me, this one has Hulu all over it.)