A STAR of one of Britain’s biggest ever TV sitcoms says he feels ‘at home’ in Weston as he continues to shoot a new show in the resort.
Ralf Little co-wrote and stars in The Caf�, a comedy set in a seafront coffee shop, and has even been taking guitar lessons from a local musician.
The 31-year-old former star of The Royle Family had never visited the town before he dropped in with co-star Michelle Terry, who comes from Weston - but he knew instantly the town was the right setting for the programme.
He said: “When we were writing The Caf� we knew we wanted to set it somewhere where people could come and go. Michelle suggested we visit Weston, so I came down and stayed at her place and I just thought it was absolutely fantastic. I knew it was the right place to set it.”
The sitcom is set in a caf� run by three generations of the same family, with Michelle playing Sarah, a former school sweetheart of Ralf’s character, and the youngest member of the family.
Despite gruelling filming schedules for the comedy, which is directed by Ralf’s former Royle Family co-star Craig Cash, the Oldham-born star says he has been able to enjoy a lot of what Weston has to offer.
He said: “I really like the town, I think it’s very charming. I feel right at home here.”
In The Caf� Ralf plays Richard, a care home assistant by day and a musician by night, and he has been helped in preparing for the role by well-known local singer and guitarist Adam Lipinski.
He said: “Michelle and Adam go back a long way, so he became officially involved to help me with the music. My character is a guitarist in the show, but I’ve had to act at my very best as I’m not a very good musician.”
Part of the preparation for the role has been performing impromptu gigs at venues around the town, with Ralf adding: “I think I’m becoming a regular at Unwined (in South Parade).
“I’ve done a few gigs around Weston, and it’s been really fun to do, although I don’t know how good it sounded to the audience.
“I’ve been out and about quite a lot. I’ve been out for a few drinks with Michelle and Adam, and some of us even played football at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre a week ago.
“I feel really welcome here. Hopefully they’ll give us a second series so we can come back and do it again.”
Filming for The Caf�, which will be broadcast on Sky 1 this autumn, is expected to finish in two weeks.
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