The Ex-PM, a six-part half hour comedy series created, written by and starring one of Australia's favourite comedians, Shaun Micallef, commences filming in Melbourne today.
As our third longest-serving Prime Minister, Andrew Dugdale (Shaun Micallef) was a man who mattered. He dined with Presidents and Kings, hosted world summits and changed the lives of millions of his fellow Australians. But now he's retired, this not-so-elder statesman has far too much time on his hands and no-one to waste it on.
A fabulous ensemble cast joins Micallef including Nikki Wendt, Kate Jenkinson, Lucy Honigman, Nicholas Bell, Francis Greenslade, Jackson Tozer, Ming-Zhu Hii and comedy veteran, John Clarke. Sian Davies (Offspring, Mr & Mrs Murder) will direct. Nick Murray (House of Hancock, Stupid Stupid Man) produces for CJZ.
Nick Murray says, "I can't wait to start shooting The Ex-PM. It's a rare pleasure with such a great cast and Shaun's scripts are wonderful".
After blowing the advance for his memoirs but writing nothing in return, Dugdale has to accept a ghostwriter, Ellen (Lucy Honigman), into his dysfunctional household (one that includes a wife in name only, a grown-up daughter with father issues – plus her son, a bodyguard who watches too much Person Of Interest on his iPhone, a PA who knows where all the bodies are buried, a chauffeur with a metal plate in his head and a heart of gold – and a cook on a 451 Visa).
So begins a comic tango between truth and spin as Ellen and Dugdale take to the dance floor. A tale of redemption somewhere between House of Cards and One Foot in the Grave.
Said ABC Head of Comedy Rick Kalowski "Not too sure who this Micallef kid is, but we'll give anyone a go at the ABC".
The Ex-PM is a CJZ Production in association with ABC TV and Film Victoria. It will air on ABC later this year.