Diane Morgan leads the cast of the new BBC comedy she and Sarah Kendall have created, Ann Droid. While Morgan plays the character referred to by the title, a robot called Linda, Kendall makes a brief appearance as a driver working for the robotics company.
The series also stars The Royle Family’s Sue Johnston and Motherland‘s Paul Ready. Johnston plays Sue, a grieving widow, while Ready plays her son Michael, who buys the android, Linda, to take care of his mother.
The series, which is set in the near future, marks a reunion for Morgan and Ready, who have also appeared together in Utopia, Motherland and Mandy. But who else stars in the heartwarming series and who do they all play?
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Ann Droid.
Ann Droid cast list
- Diane Morgan as Linda
- Sue Johnston as Sue
- Paul Ready as Michael
- Andrea Valls as Renee
- Sarah Kendall as Cass
- Margot Leicester as Phyllis
- Michelle Greenidge as Nurse Brianna Powell
- Kathryn Hunter as Eileen
- David Hargreaves as Tom
Diane Morgan as Linda
About the character: Linda is a second-hand AnnDroid Z58/100 Basic Eldercare Robot, a reconditioned android built to keep elderly people company and monitor their health. Michael buys Linda for his mother Sue, and they strike up an unlikely friendship.
Where you’ve seen Diane Morgan before: Morgan is best known as spoof documentary presenter Philomena Cunk, appearing in such shows as Cunk on Britain, Cunk on Earth and Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe. She also created and starred in Mandy, and appeared in Motherland, After Life and The Cockfields. She co-wrote Ann Droid with Sarah Kendall.
Sue Johnston as Sue
About the character: Sue is a recently widowed pensioner who is grieving the loss of her husband and in denial about her loneliness. She resists being looked after, until Michael buys an eldercare robot for her, who she surprisingly bonds with.
Where you’ve seen Sue Johnston before: Johnston is known for playing Barbara Royle in The Royle Family and Sheila Grant in Brookside, while she has also had roles in Waking the Dead, Coronation Street, Downton Abbey, The Cockfields, Time, The Responder, Generation Z and Riot Women.
Paul Ready as Michael
About the character: Michael is Sue’s only son. He buys her a robot carer, Linda, after moving out to try to save his marriage to Renee. He is self-serving yet lacking in self-worth.
Where you’ve seen Paul Ready before: Ready is known for his roles in series such as Utopia, The Terror, Bodyguard, A Gentleman in Moscow and Motherland, where he starred alongside Linda herself, Diane Morgan.
Andrea Valls as Renee
About the character: Renee is Michael’s wife, who cheated on him. They have since made up and are back together.
Where you’ve seen Andrea Valls before: Valls has had roles in series including Grantchester, Still Up, Cheaters and The Death of Bunny Munro.
Sarah Kendall as Cass
About the character: Cass works for the robotics company R3botics and delivers Linda to Sue.
Where you’ve seen Sarah Kendall before: Kendall is an Australian stand-up comedian and writer, known for winning Taskmaster, and for appearing in series including Motherland, Frayed and Things You Should Have Done. She co-created Ann Droid with Diane Morgan.
Margot Leicester as Phyllis
About the character: Phyllis is Sue’s friend.
Where you’ve seen Margot Leicester before: Leicester has had roles in series including Peak Practice, Waking the Dead, The Bill, Coronation Street, Doctors and Grace.
Kathryn Hunter as Eileen
About the character: Eileen is Sue’s friend. She works in a charity shop.
Where you’ve seen Kathryn Hunter before: Hunter is an acclaimed stage and screen actor known for playing Arabella Figg in the Harry Potter films, Eedy Karn in Andor and the Three Witches in The Tragedy of Macbeth. She has also appeared in series and films including Poor Things, Megalopolis, Black Doves, Hedda and Ladies First.
Michelle Greenidge as Nurse Brianna Powell
About the character: Brianna is a nurse who treats Sue when she has a fall.
Where you’ve seen Michelle Greenidge before: Greenidge is known for playing Valerie in After Life, Lola in Mandy, PC Williams in Code 404, Rosa in It’s a Sin and Carla in Doctor Who. She has also had roles in series including Kaos, Death in Paradise, The Diplomat, Babies and Grace, and films such as Cruella, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Project Hail Mary. She has previously worked with Diane Morgan in multiple series.
David Hargreaves as Tom
About the character: Tom is Sue’s friend.
Where you’ve seen David Hargreaves before: Hargreaves is a veteran British character actor with credits spanning decades of UK television, from Z-Cars and Play for Today to more recent roles in This Country, Fleabag, Dalgliesh, Young Sherlock, Falling and Make That Movie. On the big screen he appeared as Arthur in Last Christmas.
Ann Droid begins on Friday 17 July at 9:30pm on BBC One. All six episodes will be available as a box set on BBC iPlayer.
Add Ann Droid to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app– download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
