A Gert Lush Christmas is a British festive hour long comedy drama that broadcast on BBC Two on 26 December 2015. It is co-written by and stars comedian Russell Howard in his acting debut. It also stars Kerry Howard (Russell's real life sister), Hannah Britland, Neil Morrissey, Sophie Thompson and Greg Davies.
Plot
Christmas 'tis the season to be jolly', unless you are Dan Colman (Russell Howard), a regular guy who is about to introduce the woman of his dream Lisa (Hannah Britland) to his crazy but lovable family in the fictional town of Bamford in Bristol.
With his fitness-obsessed Dad, party animal Uncle Tony, wonderfully inappropriate brother Jake (Dougie McMeekin) and lovable but utterly bonkers Mum (Sophie Thompson)... what could possibly go wrong?.
What begins as an over enthusiasm to welcome Lisa into the family ends with Lisa running away back to London and making Dan regret having ever introducing her to them in the first place. The dysfunctional family pull together in their own unique and crazy way to put things right.
Cast
- Russell Howard as Dan Colman - Dave and Sue's son, Tony's nephew, Jake and Julie's brother and Bert's uncle
- Kerry Howard as Julie - Dan and Jake's sister, Dave and Sue's daughter, Tony's niece, Trevor's wife and Bert's mother
- Hannah Britland as Lisa, Dan's girlfriend
- Dougie McMeekin as Jake Colman - Dave and Sue's son, Dan and Julie's brother, Tony's nephew and Bert's uncle
- Neil Morrissey as Dave Colman - Sue's husband, Dan, Jake and Julie's father and Bert's grandfather
- Sophie Thompson as Sue Colman - Jade's sister, Dave's wife, Dan, Jake and Julie's mother and Bert's grandmother
- Greg Davies as Tony - Jade's husband, Sue's brother-in-law, Dan, Jake and Julie's uncle and Bert's great-uncle
- Nathan Stone as Young Dan Colman
- Samuel Woodward as Bert - Julie's son, Dan and Jake's nephew and Dave and Sue's grandson
- Keith Chegwin as Himself
- Felix Hayes as Trevor - Julie's husband, Bert's father, Dan and Jake's brother-in-law and Dave and Sue's son-in-law
- Sam Pamphillon as Mark - Dan's oldest friend
- Maggie O'Neil as Aunty Jade - Sue's sister, Tony's wife and Dan, Julie and Jake's aunt
- Pamela Lyne as Nan - Dave's mother, Sue's mother-in-law, Dan, Julie and Jake's grandmother and Bert's great-grandmother
- Paddy Navin as Deirdre
- Maggie Daniels as Cath
- Larrington Walker as Roger - Dan and Lisa's neighbour
- Rosie Ede as Aunty Claire
- Alun Cochrane as Barman
- Rose Johnson as Ticket Woman
- Gabriel Vick as Wiggy
- Jayde Adams as Kelly
Soundtrack
- Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow - Dean Martin
- Let's Get Ready To Rhumble - PJ & Duncan
- Mistletoe and Wine - Cliff Richard
- Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars
- Hey Ya - Outkast
- King - Years & Years
- All Night Long - Lionel Richie
- I Have Nothing - Noah and the Whale
- Last Christmas - Wham
- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
- Hold You Near (For Christmas) - 13,000 Miles feat Emily Denton
- I Don't Feel Like Dancin' - Scissor Sisters
Trivia
- Gert Lush is West Country slang for very good.
- This will be one of two 2015 Christmas specials Greg Davies stars in. The other being the Doctor Who Christmas special The Husbands of River Song, which aired on Christmas Day, the day before A Gert Lush Christmas.
- Gabriel Vick (Wiggy) is the real life husband of Kerry Howard (Julie).
- The film takes place in roughly a week as it starts on Christmas Eve and ends on New Year's Eve or the early hours of New Year's Day.