BBC announce new comedy from Mackenzie Crook, Small Prophets

Cast includes Pearce Quigley, Sir Michael Palin, Sophie Willan, Jon Pointing and Mackenzie Crook himself.

The BBC has today announced a new comedy created, written and directed by Mackenzie Crook, with the working title Small Prophets.

The six-part series is a comic tale of eccentric Michael Sleep, played by Pearce Quigley, who, since his darling wife Clea disappeared seven years ago, has lived a very ordinary life. He eats Shreddies, works in a DIY store, visits dad Brian, played by Sir Michael Palin, and hopes for Clea to return.

That is just the way it is, until one day dad Brian shares an old recipe involving rainwater, horse manure and more than a little alchemy. With recipe in hand, Michael sets out (albeit with some scepticism) to create Homunculi, magical prophesying spirits that can predict the future - in the hope they have the answer to his burning question, ‘will I ever see Clea again?’.

Michael gets help from young work mate Kacey, played by Lauren Patel, an unlikely friendship that blossoms partly (but not wholly) through their mutual dislike of store manager Gordon, played by Mackenzie Crook.

Their friendship adds to the frustration and intrigue of his nosy neighbours, played by Sophie Willan and Jon Pointing, who are obsessed with trying to find out what the hell is going on in the garden shed.

Filmed and set in and around Manchester, the series incorporates visually stunning animation elements throughout as we tell a story of friendships and hope, the magical and the mundane, and where secrets and lies lurk in a suburban cul-de-sac.

Made by Treasure Trove Productions and Blue House Productions, Small Prophets is written and directed by Mackenzie Crook, produced by Gill Isles and executive produced by Mackenzie Crook and Lisa Thomas for Treasure Trove Productions and Christine Gernon and Emma Strain for Blue House Productions.

Speaking about Small Prophets, Mackenzie Crook said" Like all my best ideas, this one has been percolating for nearly a decade and is finally ready to see the light of day. It’s wonderful to be working again with my friends Gill Isles and Pearce Quigley and to realise a long-term ambition of collaborating with animators Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson."

To which producer Gill Isles added "I’m absolute thrilled to be working with Mackenzie again on such a funny, beautiful and unique show."

And the BBC's Director of Comedy, Jon Petrie, added "BBC viewers are in for a treat with BAFTA winner Mackenzie Crook’s Small Prophets. This magical comedy series brims with wit and wonder - from Mackenzie himself and Sir Michael Palin to Sophie Willan, Pearce Quigley, Lauren Patel and Jon Pointing - and is backed by a top-tier creative team and stunning animation. It’s British comedy at its finest."

Small Prophets will air on BBC