This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
Since debuting in 2022, Here We Go and the Jessop family have gone on a three-season run, with the BBC sitcom earning two nominations at the upcoming Bafta Television Awards. Creator, writer and actor Tom Basden and star Jim Howick share what it is that has made the comedy such a success.
Tom Basden
Creator, writer and actor in Here We Go
What’s your writing process for Here We Go?
I’m actually in the middle of writing series four. I’m very, very bad at admin in general, so I have lots of notes all over the place, in notebooks or Word documents or on my phone or on random bits of paper in my bag. So the start of the process is always trying to unearth everything, to do an audit of all the ideas that I’ve ever had for Here We Go – and everything else – and then just go through them.
How is writing comedy different to drama?
I don’t want to generalise but in drama, the stakes are usually a lot higher, and therefore characters’ responses are usually the same. It’s like, “We’ve got to catch the murderer” or “We’ve got to keep this hospital patient alive”.
It doesn’t really matter who the detective is, or who the doctor is. Whereas in a comedy, the stakes are often coming out of relationships, and quite personal. I think that’s a lot of the reason why the characters become funny – they respond to things in a way that the audience doesn’t necessarily expect them to, but completely recognises.
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Jim Howick
Star of Here We Go
Nominated for actor in a comedy
Why do you think Here We Go has become such a success?
It follows family dynamic tropes very well, but the stories can often be quite goofy and mad. Also, sitcoms really benefit from a sort of “open house” culture. Often, when the doorbell goes – and that’s actually a joke in the show – you know that it’s going to offer a new flavour and texture to the comedy.
As part of the collective behind Ghosts and Horrible Histories, what’s the difference working with scripts you didn’t co-write?
It’s a lot more relaxing to be an actor for hire on someone else’s script, especially when it’s one of Tom’s scripts. Tom is a quiet genius and his scripts make me laugh out loud. I would never laugh out loud at my own script – that would be sort of psychopathic.
How much latitude is there for improvisation?
Tom can be particular sometimes, but as long as it’s not disrupting the story beats and as long as you’re not being self-indulgent, there’s a real value in ad-libbing, especially as it fits with the guerrilla film-making format of Here We Go.
The Bafta Television Awards are on Sunday 11 May at 7pm on BBC One.
BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises
Shot at Sea Containers London
Photography: Rachel Louise Brown @rachellouisebrownstudio
Styling: Natalie Read @natreadstylist
Set Design: Propped Up @propped_up_ltd
Hair by Philipp Haug & Eden Thomson for Schwarzkopf
Make-up by Armani Beauty
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