Channel 4 announces new comedy Stepping Up from Josh Pugh

It promises to deliver an original take on the modern family dynamic.

Channel 4 has today announced new sitcom Stepping Up, written by and starring Josh Pugh who plays Josh, an over-enthusiastic stepdad bringing well intentioned chaos to his new, and previously harmonious, family unit.

Every day behind closed doors in Britain a stepdad negotiates the tricky paradox of bringing up another man’s kids: locked in several love triangles, the partner and the ex, the kid and the biological Dad, there’s no easy way to play it. Josh is desperate to prove his worth as the perfect role model to his stepchildren, the ideal partner to his girlfriend, and as an all-round ‘Good Bloke’.

Unfortunately for Josh, absolutely everyone in his life is totally fine and would much rather he stopped trying so incredibly hard to help and impress them all the time. No-one needs him to, but Josh is 'stepping up' anyway.

Speaking about Stepping Up, Josh Pugh said "I'm over the moon to be doing something that very few people get to do in their lives and make a sitcom. I live and grew up in a small town with stepparents on both sides, and I think it's a huge untapped well of comedy. A huge number of people in Britain are navigating the complexities of bringing other people's kids up and I want to capture that in a really funny and authentic sitcom that is also hopefully financially lucrative."

To which Channel 4's Head of Comedy, Charlie Perkins, added "There’s something magic in Josh’s naturalism that I don’t think we’ve seen in a sitcom before - he’s magnetic on screen and his writing under the expert shepherding of Roughcut is the perfect mix of hyper silly and hyper real. An exciting, new, natural born sitcom star in a simple sitcom world. Channel 4 are really proud that Stepping Up continues our work with Josh across the channel."

The six-part series set to deliver an original take on the modern family dynamic and started life as part of Channel 4's Comedy Blaps strand in 2024. It follows in the footsteps of other successful Blaps, We Are Lady Parts, Stath Lets Flats, Home, Chewing Gum and most recently, Pushers.

Made by Roughcut Television, Stepping Up will be produced by Ben Worsfield and executive produced by Ash Atalla, Alex Smith and Steve Monger.

Speaking ahead of the new series, Steve Monger, Executive Producer at Roughcut TV, said "Josh is a brilliantly talented writer, performer, stand-up and king of socials skits. In Stepping Up he’s created a truly original, raucous and refreshing take on the family sitcom; Roughcut are very proud to be bringing this to life with Josh and Channel 4. See you in the Midlands!"

Casting details and the transmission ate for Stepping Up will be announced in due course.

Stepping Up will air on Channel 4