Rob Brydon is heading back to sitcom territory this November with ‘Bill’s Included‘, a new BBC comedy about a newly single man who decides the best cure for loneliness is to fill his house with students. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Marking Brydon’s first sitcom since ‘Gavin & Stacey’, the six-part series follows Bill Beam, a well-meaning, overenthusiastic divorcee whose life takes a spectacularly awkward turn when he discovers his wife is having an affair with their gardener. Left alone in the family home and needing to make ends meet, Bill spots an opportunity after a fire at the local university halls leaves students in need of somewhere to live.
Enter four student lodgers, one very eager landlord and an arrangement that rapidly becomes more than a straightforward house-share. As Brydon explains: “He calls himself a land friend, not a landlord.” Unfortunately for everyone involved, Bill’s enthusiasm for becoming their honorary housemate is rather greater than their enthusiasm for the idea.
Brydon says he had been keen to return to scripted comedy after several years of presenting and other projects. “I haven’t done a sitcom since Gavin & Stacey.” He reveals that the show had been in development at Baby Cow, the production company associated with Steve Coogan, for several years, evolving along the way to lean more heavily into his own personality, with certain traits turned up for comic effect.
A house full of very different personalities
Of course, a sitcom house-share is only as good as the people stuck living in it, and Bill has managed to assemble quite the collection. Dylan Brady plays Christian, a privileged, image-conscious student who is particularly horrified by the idea of living with his landlord. Ada Player is Hettie, a relentlessly upbeat people-pleaser who is blissfully oblivious to the fact that not everyone returns her affection.
Harry Baxendale plays James, a sweet-natured fresher who wants everyone to get along, although his enthusiasm for brewing mead may test that harmony. Meanwhile, Yasmin Al-Khudhairi plays Zahra, an academically focused aspiring doctor who planned to avoid student drama altogether. Instead, she’s landed in a chaotic house some 90 minutes from campus. As Al-Khudhairi puts it: “Zahra thinks Bill is weird, and an idiot.”
Interestingly, when the younger cast were asked who would be the worst housemate in real life, Christian was a popular choice. Even Brady, who plays him, agreed. That’s probably not a brilliant sign for the house rules.
Bill also has a life outside his increasingly crowded home, including a potential romantic connection with next-door neighbour Siobhan, played by Sam Spiro. The cast also includes Nigel Lindsay, Kevin Eldon and Fenella Woolgar, with the latter playing someone Bill goes on a date with.
Michael Caine impressions and a surprising amount of heart
If the cast interviews are anything to go by, filming was nearly as chaotic as life in Bill’s house. Brady remembers: “Rob’s Michael Caine impression was a frequent highlight.” Al-Khudhairi, meanwhile, reveals: “I did split my costume trousers from laughing one day and had to get another pair sent out to me.”
Underneath the awkward encounters and generational clashes, though, ‘Bill’s Included’ is aiming for something rather warmer. Bill wants to look after his lodgers, even when they’re thoroughly embarrassed by him, while the students gradually discover they might have something to learn from their overexcitable landlord. The result is a comedy about friendship and finding family in unexpected places, with a healthy dose of British sitcom silliness thrown in.
The six half-hour episodes are written by Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen, directed by Dave Lambert and produced by Baby Cow for the BBC, with Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan among the executive producers.
‘Bill’s Included‘ Season 1 premieres Friday, 20th November 2026 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
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