Rafe Spall, Jenna Coleman and Katherine Kelly lead Steven Moffat’s Number 10 for Channel 4

What really goes on behind that famous door?

Channel 4 has announced that Steven Moffat’s new comedy drama Number 10, which was announced earlier this year will star Rafe Spall as the Prime Minister, Jenna Coleman as Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 and Katherine Kelly as Chief of Staff.

There’s a Prime Minister in the attic, a coffee bar in the basement, and a wallpapered labyrinth of romance, crisis and heartbreak in between.

Set in the only terrace house in history with mice and a nuclear deterrent, it’s the only knock-through in the world where a hangover can start a war. 

The government will be fictional and unspecific, but the problems will be real. We’ll never know which party is in power, because once the whole world hits the fan it barely matters.

This is a show about the building and everyone inside. Not just the Prime Minister upstairs, but the conspiracy theorist who runs the cafe three floors below, the man who repairs the lift that never works, the madly ambitious ‘advisors’ fighting for office space in cupboards. Oh, and of course, the cat.

Number 10 is all of Britain in a house: it’s British history under one roof. It’s how we all got into the mess we’re in. It’s also our only hope of getting out of it.

On joining the cast, Rafe Spall said “Number 10 is a sensational piece of writing, equal to its peerless author, Steven Moffat. I’m delighted to be playing the Prime Minister, in a funny, real and thrilling piece of TV.”

To which Jenna Coleman added “I thought it was about time I visited another British institution with Steven Moffat. I’m very much looking forward to moving into Number 10 with Steven’s cracking scripts and working with Sue Vertue, Ben Palmer, Rafe Spall and Katherine Kelly.”

And Katherine Kelly said “I am delighted to be reunited with Steven Moffat. His scripts are second to none, and I am thrilled to be working with the team at Hartswood Films once more. I look forward to walking through the famous doors of Number 10 and playing this delicious role.”

Also joining the cast are Akshay Khanna, Abigail Lawrie, Laura Haddock, Jing Lusi, Pierro Niel-Mee, Rick Warden, Joe Wilkinson, Robyn Cara, Richard Rankin, Rhiannon Clements, Patrick Baladi, Shaun Prendergast, Harry Baxendale, Alex Macqueen, Sam Alexander and Emer Kenny.

Number 10 is Steven Moffat’s first project for Channel 4 and is described as a comedy drama about one of the most famous addresses in the world.

Speaking about today’s cast announcement, Steven Moffat said “For me, it's all about famous doors! The doors to the TARDIS, the door to 221B Baker Street, and now the most famous door in the world - Number 10. I’ve been wanting to write about the mad house that runs the madhouse for years, and I’ve never had so much fun doing the research. Other nations are ruled from mighty palaces. Britain is run from a little brick street with a big black door.”

“If you want to do a workplace comedy drama this one is the boss of them all. And what a cast. My old TARDIS friend, the brilliant Jenna Coleman, Katherine Kelly, who was so amazing in the Doctor Who spinoff, Class, and at long, long last I get to work with the incredible Rafe Spall and make him Prime Minister. Britain is in safe hands.”

To which executive producer Sue Vertue added “Steven has so enjoyed writing these scripts and I think it shows - it feels like the series he's been waiting to write.  And what a cast!  I can’t wait to get going on this exciting journey.”

Produced by Hartswood Films, part of ITV Studios, Number 10 is written by Steven Moffat, directed by Ben Palmer, produced by Lawrence Till, co-produced by Rachel Stone and will be executive produced by Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue for Hartswood Films

Number 10 will air on Channel 4