Newcastle comedy ‘Tom and Lauren are Going OOT’ has been named BBC Radio 4’s Comedy of the Week.
The show, created by Gateshead’s independent production company, follows the humorous misadventures of Tom and Lauren, a millennial couple from Newcastle upon Tyne, as they navigate the everyday challenge of leaving the house on time. Special guest appearances by Louise Young and Julian Clary add to the series’ appeal.
Producer Maria Caruana Galizia stated, ‘Working with Tom and Lauren has been an absolute pleasure. We all wanted to produce something that listeners would find hilarious. It’s really important that woven into the comedy is a sense of modern-day Newcastle, the people and sense of humour that is so prevalent throughout the city.’ The comment highlights the cultural context embedded in the series.
The show’s lead performers bring notable credentials. Pattison, a breakout star, has been nominated twice at the Edinburgh Festival. Machell is an award-winning writer and actor, known for his work on various prestigious series. He expressed enthusiasm about the project: ‘It’s just the best thing in the world to finally be able to write something for Newcastle, record it in Newcastle with a bunch of Geordies (+ a couple of honoury). Our city is a melting pot of talent and hopefully paves the way for more people to invest in North East Creatives.’
The series was recorded at the Pride Media Centre in Gateshead and directed by Katherine Armitage, with Tom Glenwright as the studio engineer and Philip Quinton as the editor. Executive production was led by Steve Doherty of Giddy Goat Productions.
The recognition of ‘Tom and Lauren are Going OOT’ by BBC Radio 4 underscores the talent and creativity emerging from Newcastle’s comedy scene.