Viva Blackpool:
Back in Sequel

BBC America co-produces movie sequel to Peabody Award-winning Viva Blackpool

David Morrissey (State of Play, Basic Instinct 2) is back in Viva Blackpool: Ripley’s Return, a magical musical movie sequel to the Golden Globe-nominated and Peabody Award-winning original series Viva Blackpool. In this innovative show, even characters in mourning pop out of heavy drama mode to sing along, karaoke-style, with hits from Johnny Cash, Queen, Dusty Springfield and Tom Jones. Ripley’s Return premieres Saturday, October 28, 2006 10 p.m. ET/PT.

As the story opens, gambling man Ripley Holden, returning from Las Vegas as Reverend Ripley, attends the Blackpool funeral of his close friend, Patrick, who won a World Cup trophy in a crooked card game. Ripley’s already lined up a buyer for the legendary trophy, which was stolen from Westminster Hall in the ‘60s and has been in criminal hands ever since. But when aggressive sports agent Steve Pollard (Keith Allen, De-Lovely) moves in with a higher bid, a ferocious bidding war erupts.

This is all good news for Ripley, who has opened a successful Vegas-style wedding chapel in Blackpool with his daughter Shyanne (Georgia Taylor). Together they perform themed wedding ceremonies from Blue Hawaii to country-western and Harry Potter, dreaming of turning their single chapel into a nationwide chain. The money from the sale of the trophy would make their dream a reality. All Ripley has to do is get the trophy from Patrick’s elderly mother, Mrs. Berry (Annette Crosbie, One Foot in the Grave), and sell it to the highest bidder. But he’s horrified when he sees that she has placed Patrick’s ashes in the trophy, the centerpiece of a shrine to her beloved son.

Meanwhile, Ripley’s fallen hopelessly in love with walking temptation, Kitty De-Luxe (Megan Dodds, MI-5), who was jilted at his chapel. The glamorous blonde wants Ripley to invest the trophy money in her ice show, Paradise Lost on Ice. But the more Ripley gets to know Kitty, the less the pieces add up. A quick search through her bag reveals the key to a storage locker. Although it will break his heart, Ripley has to know what she’s hiding. Is Kitty the perfect woman for Ripley, a con artist — or both?

Producer Sally Stokes says, “Ripley’s Return takes all the elements that we loved about Viva Blackpool — singing, dancing, comedy and intrigue — but also moves it on a peg. Pete’s (Bowker) writing continues Ripley’s story in a fantastically fun and unexpected way — an old-style chase for the World Cup trophy. His flawed and charismatic characters keep the story and the twists and turns coming.”

What The British Press Said:

“The plot has a World Cup theme based around the notion the Jules Rimet trophy was never recovered back in 1966, but the plot is secondary to the sheer pleasure of again entering the heightened reality of writer Peter Bowker’s world.” Guardian

“Bright and funny” Independent

“If Ripley wants to come back for a Christmas special, maybe this time with a beard, and running a novelty brothel, it would be no bad thing.” The Times

“Given that it kicked off with an all-singing, all-dancing cremation, it was always likely to be a feast of politically incorrect humour. And so it proved. Blimey, I reckon there were more cruel wisecracks in Viva Blackpool: Ripley’s Return than you could shake a stick at.” The Herald

“Utterly surreal, very funny, and carried off with great aplomb.” The Spectator

Cast and Production Credits

Ripley Holden David Morrissey (State of Play, Hilary and Jackie)

Shyanne Georgia Taylor (Viva Blackpool)

Kitty De-Luxe Megan Dodds (MI-5, Love in a Cold Climate)

Tommy Vesty Mark Williams (Saxondale, Tristram Shandy)

Steve Pollard Keith Allen (Bodies, De-Lovely)

Mrs Berry Annette Crosbie (Calendar Girls, One Foot in the Grave)

Eddie Large look-a-like Eddie Large

Written by Peter Bowker (A Midsummer Night's Dream)

Directory Catherine Morshead (Shameless, Cutting It)

Producer Sally Stokes (Forgotten)

Executive Producers Sally Haynes (BBC), Laura Mackie (BBC), Kathryn Mitchell (BBC America)

A BBC/BBC America co-production

Memorable Lines

Ripley to Kitty, trying to make her feel better for being jilted:

“You're a walking temptation, there ought to be a commandment just for you.”

Kitty’s ice show, Paradise Lost on Ice:

“It’s got sex, it’s got religion, it’s got skating — I figure I’ve pretty much got all the bases covered.”

Kitty to Ripley on her skating costumes:

“I kept my nurses’ outfit from ER Winter Wonderland.”

Ripley:

“I've had more pain in my life than a cobbler with Parkinson's.”