New workplace comedy Sneakerhead on Dave features People Just Do Nothing star Hugo Chegwin as trainer fan and Sports Depot employee Russell. It promises to shine a ‘dim but funny light on the plight of the modern-day retail worker’, the show is set in the Peterborough branch of Sports Depot, where a ragtag bunch of hopeless, underpaid and demotivated youths must sell the latest items from massive sports brands despite having zero interest in sport.
"I’m so excited to be doing this show with some super talented people. I feel like a competition winner," says Hugo. TV chef and grime artist Big Zuu is also starring in the sitcom, in his first TV acting role.
So here’s everything you need to know about Sneakerhead on Dave…
Sneakerhead release date
Sneakerhead is a three-part series consisting of 30-minute episodes and will debut on UKTV channel Dave on consecutive nights from Wednesday July 13 to 15, 10pm.
Is there a trailer for Sneakerhead?
Yes a trailer for Sneakerhead is available. See below. Looks very funny and we’re so excited to see Big Zuu making his acting debut.
Sneakerhead plot
Sneakerhead follows Russell, played by Hugo Chegwin, who's a certified 'sneakerhead' working in Sports Depot in Peterborough purely for the love of trainers, which is lucky as the pay is terrible. Russell somehow falls into the role of manager but the laid-back, unlucky-in-love retail worker is one of the only staff members who even remotely cares about the discount sporting merch they are selling.
Working alongside him is the ever-hopeful Mulenga (Big Zuu), a part-time entrepreneur and future millionaire, and the rest of the crew who have learned to dream big with empty pockets. The undermotivated, underpaid and overworked misfits rely on camaraderie to get through the very long days at work and appreciate the irony that they must sell the latest sports brands when none of them are even vaguely interested in sport.
Sneakerhead cast — Hugo Chegwin on playing Russell
Hugo Chegwin is playing the main Sneakerhead role of Russell.
"Russell is a lovable loser," reveals Chegwin. ‘He started working at Sports Depot because of his love of trainers. It was his first retail job and he’s never left because he has no idea what he wants to do with himself. He’s definitely not qualified to be manager, but it’s happened."
Russell gets on well with most of his team and can always rely on his best friend at work, Mulenga, played by BAFTA-winner Big Zuu. However, his colleague Jemma (Francesca Mills) is furious about his promotion and determined to steal his job.
Away from work, Russell’s biggest headache comes from his on-off relationship with demanding girlfriend Clare (Alexa Davies) who often treats him like dirt.
‘Russell thinks he needs a girlfriend to be normal," explains Chegwin. "But viewers will want to see him get out of that toxic, horrible relationship as quickly as possible. I think a lot of people have been in relationships they shouldn't have been, and Russell is one of them.’
Like his character, Chegwin has a love of trainers and owns more than 150 pairs. And he soon discovered that the residents of Croydon, where the three-part series was filmed, are also big sneaker fans.
‘We had people wandering into the shop trying to buy stuff all the time during filming,’ he laughs. ‘I guess if you plaster posters that say, “70% OFF!” on all the windows then people are going to come in. They certainly kept our security guard busy.’
Hugo is of course best known for the BBC comedy (also now on Netflix) People Just Do Nothing, in which he played Beats. He reprised the role in last year’s movie People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan and also wrote and starred in the TV series The Curse, which followed a group of hapless crooks who become embroiled in one of the biggest gold heists in history. Hugo is the nephew of the late TV personality Keith Chegwin and also works in the music industry where he has written songs with stars such as Emili Sande, Sam Smith and Pixie Lott.
Sneakerhead is Chegwin’s first leading role and he was pleased to star in a comedy that shines a light on what life is really like for young people working in retail.
"I worked in Foot Locker for one summer when I was younger," he says. "It was hard work, so anyone who does these kinds of jobs has my full respect."
Who else is starring in Sneakerhead?
Big Zuu, or Zuhair Hassan, plays shop worker Mulenga. "I'm very gassed to be a part of Sneakerhead and to be working with Dave again,” he says. “This is a first for me, venturing into acting, so I'm really excited!"
Big Zuu is better known for his career as a rapper, grime artist, songwriter and DJ. He’s also a TV chef and star of Big Zuu’s Big Eats and Big Zuu’s Breakfast Show.
Harlots and Worzel Gummidge star Francesca Mills, Lucia Keskin, known as Chi with A C, Alexa Davies (White House Farm, Dead Pixels) and Mark Silcox (Mandy) are also starring.
