Brace yourselves for missing coffins, taxidermy cats and giant fluffy bunnies as riotous National TV Award-nominated comedy drama Brassic returns to SkyMax for its fifth series. Here's everything we know...
Brassic season 5 release date
Brassic returns for eight brand-new, fun-filled episodes on Thursday at 10 pm on SkyMax. And for those wanting to enjoy the rollercoaster ride all at once, all episodes will be available to stream straight away on demand.
Brassic season 5 cast
Vinnie (Joe Gilgun), Erin (Michelle Keegan), Tommo (Ryan Sampson), Ashley (Aaron Heffernan), JJ (Parth Thakerar), Cardi (Tom Hanson), Carol (Bronagh Gallagher) and Sugar (Joanna Higson) all return — but there's no Dylan (Damian Molony), last seen being bundled into a car by a bunch of heavies. Vinnie and Erin are worried their mate has met a gruesome fate - can they track him down?
"There’s posters of ‘missing’ Dylan up all over Hawley, and Vinnie and Erin don't know where he is," says Michelle. "So it’s about trying to find out what's happened to him and who's involved. It could be gangster Manolito or the dangerous McDonagh brothers, they have no idea. It was weird not having ‘Damo’ on set because we all started Brassic together, so there was this missing link. But we still talk all the time."
Brassic: Series 5: What madcap schemes are the Brassic bunch involved with in the first episode?
As always, wherever Vinnie (Joe Gilgun), Erin (Michelle Keegan) and the gang go, trouble is never far behind and, in the series opener, Vinnie’s offered six top-of-the-range cars — but the motors are literally on the back of a lorry and when driver Eddie (Not Going Out’s Lee Mack) swallows the keys to the transporter, a chaotic 24 hours ensues…
"Once again, Vinnie and the gang are getting involved in more heists to make ends meet and, of course, it just goes wrong every single time," says Michelle. "They’re all underdogs and, although they’re involved in petty crime, as a viewer, you still champion them and want them to succeed. And, when they don't, it's quite heartbreaking… but hilarious!"
What else do we know about Lee Mack's character? Are there any other guest stars this series?
Brassic has always attracted top-notch guest stars and series five welcomes Killing Eve’s Camille Cottin, as Vinnie’s therapist, Mani from The Stone Roses and Not Going Out’s Lee Mack, who plays Eddie, a man with a van who scuppers Vinnie’s plan…
"Eddie is a bit put-upon, a bit wet, does what he’s told and doesn’t stand up for himself very well," Lee says of his character. "Vinnie bosses Eddie around — but it’s all done with affection!
"I absolutely loved doing Brassic," he adds. "It’s such a great team and I love Joe Gilgun, he’s a bona fide, old-school funnyman. It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever done… and I didn’t have to write it!"
And it seems all the Brassic cast loved Lee, too. "I first met Lee when he did Soccer Aid with my husband Mark [Wright] a few years ago, he’s such a lovely guy," says Keegan. "Obviously, being a comedian, Lee’s very good with comedy timing, so he would just riff on some of his lines. There’s one scene where Lee’s hanging upside down on a fence by his underpants. Not something I thought I’d ever see!"
Brassic Series 5: Alongside the laughs, are there more serious moments too?
Of course! What we love about Brassic is how it seamlessly weaves humour with pathos, and series five is no exception.
"Erin’s dad has died and she's inherited this flat in Blackpool but there's strings attached, and we soon find out her dad’s left her in £10,000 debt, so the gang come together and work out how Erin can pay it off," says Michelle. "There's another storyline where Erin’s son Tyler (Jude Riordan) is getting bullied. We see how Tyler’s trying to cover it up, then Erin's reaction, then his dad, Vinnie, finding out. Those serious moments are what really ground the show. Brassic is not just a comedy, it’s a show with real depth and real heart."
Speaking of 'heart', how are things between Vinnie and Erin?
It's no secret that Vinnie will always hold a torch to Erin, the mother of his young son Tyler. And, in series five, the 'will-they, won't-they' continues...
"Vinnie and Erin are on friendly terms and there’s no undercurrent of any romance," says Michell. "There is always going to be love between Vinnie and Erin but circumstances won't let them be together. It's frustrating, not just for them, but for the audience as well."
The show is very fast-paced as the gang gets into scrapes. Did the cast sustain any injuries during filming?
Yes! It seems the stars throw themselves into Brassic world - literally - as Michelle reveals...
"At one point, Erin and Vinnie are involved in a car accident, so Joe and I had to do this big car stunt," she explains. "Although it looks like Vinnie’s driving, it was actually someone on the roof in control of the car; inside, the brakes didn't work, the steering didn't work. I was in the passenger seat and I've never been so scared in my life. In the scene, we’re heading towards a roundabout, full pelt, then we crash and the car flips. We had to do the flip in the studio on a green screen. So we got all strapped in and we’re flipping around when Joe, as Vinnie, reaches over to try and protect Erin… and punches me straight on the nose!"
It's all in a day's work, though, for Michelle.
"I love this show so much," she admits. "When I'm not filming, I miss it; the cast, the crew, the scripts, the laughs. Other shows I do are quite heavy, so Brassic is my fun release. When we all get back together after a break it's chaos! It doesn’t feel like work, it just feels like I'm going to see my mates and being filmed having a laugh... and getting punched in the face!"
Brassic series 5 starts on Thursday at 10 pm on SkyMax.
