The BBC has confirmed the cast joining Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy as filming commences in Manchester and The Lake District.
Ralph & Katie follows the success of three series of The A Word which ran between 2016 and 2020. Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy will be joined by a cast of favourites from The A Word as well as a host of new and well-known faces.
The new series, made up of six half-hour episodes, follows the continuing story of Ralph and Katie Wilson, with each featuring a different story focusing on the domestic challenges they face. Issues faced by all newlyweds, but with an added ingredient in the mix being that the couple have Down’s Syndrome.
Reprising the role of Ralph's mum, Louise will be Pooky Quesnel who is now Katie's mother-in-law and she'll be joined by other familiar faces, Nigel Betts and Sherry Baines who play Katie's parents Steve and Clare. Plus there's a welcome return for Matt Greenwood who previously delighted audiences as Tom.
New and familiar faces heading to the stunning Lakeside locations and Manchester's Space Studios include Craig Cash as Brian, Dylan Brady as Dan, Jamie Marie Leary as Emma, Sam Retford as Gary and Daniel Cerqueira as Dr Graves.
This ground-breaking series is created by Peter Bowker who is also the lead writer as he was on The A Word. Bowker revealed early last year the team who have since worked alongside him, all of them new and emerging disabled writers, who were chosen in partnership with BBC Writersroom. They are Amy Trigg, Annalisa Dinnella, Genevieve Barr, Tom Wentworth and Lizzie Watson.
Speaking about the new series, Peter Bowker said "The writing team have delivered a series of scripts that are full of joy, humour and authenticity. It will be exciting to see the wonderful cast bring them to life under the direction of the force of nature that is Jordan Hogg."
Produced by Jules Hussey, directed by Jordan Hogg, Ralph & Katie will be executive produced by Peter Bowker, Patrick Spence and Kathryn Pugsley for ITV Studios, with Howard Burch for Keshet Productions and Lucy Richer for the BBC, alongside Avi Nir for Keshet Media Group and Keren Margalit.
In a drive to encourage a more inclusive future behind and in front of the camera ITV Studios and BBC Drama are teaming up with TripleC DANC on Ralph & Katie to offer behind the scenes access for those interested in how a High-End TV production is made. DANC is facilitating access and support for participants throughout the process.
The programme has been offered to people in the NW and beyond who are deaf, disabled, autistic and neurodivergent and at an early stage in their career. It begins as production commences, runs for six months and takes place remotely, with participants being given confidential access to key documents which will stretch from pre-production to the final edit of the first episode.
They will also have access to meetings with various heads of departments as they discuss scripts, location scouting, scheduling, budgeting, set design, and wardrobe. Paid trainees have also been recruited in casting, ADS, Production, Costume, Unit Stills and EPK.
BAFTA-winning Series Director Jordan Hogg, himself disabled, said "We're embarking on something that's never been attempted in our industry, we're changing the world."
Ralph & Katie will air later this year on BBC One