A children’s book written by comedy legend Eric Morecambe in the 1980s has been adapted into a new BBC comedy, with Lenny Rush taking the lead role in The Reluctant Vampire.
The story follows 15-year-old Valentine, a member of a family of vampires who appears to be failing at almost everything expected of him. He dislikes blood, has no taste for violence and, to his family’s surprise, eventually discovers that he is actually human.
Rush plays Valentine alongside Sian Clifford as his mother and Tom Davis as his vampire father, the family’s king. The series has been adapted by Neil and Rob Gibbons, the writers known for their work on Alan Partridge.
The production combines family comedy with the story of a teenager struggling to understand where he belongs. Rush, who won a Bafta at 14 for his performance in Am I Being Unreasonable?, said the character’s difficulties with fitting in are what make the story relatable beyond its supernatural setting.
The Reluctant Vampire premieres on BBC One on Sunday, October 4, at 6:40pm. The programme is part of a wider autumn television schedule that includes returning dramas, comedy and new adaptations.
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