PRESS RELEASE Those That Can't -The Funniest Welsh Sitcom Since Gavin and Stacey

PRESS RELEASE Wednesday, July 6, 2011 Those That Can’t -The Funniest Welsh Sitcom Since Gavin and Stacey The third series of comedy Those That Can’t starts on Radio Wales this Friday (July 8, 2011) and according to one of its stars it’s “the funniest Welsh sitcom since Gavin and Stacey”. The claim is made by Steffan Rhodri who plays one of the main characters in the show and was of course Dave Coaches in Gavin and Stacey. Those That Can’t is written by comedians Chris Corcoran and Greg Davies and focuses on life in a Valleys comprehensive school. Youngsters from Pontypridd High School and Cardinal Newman School, Pontypridd play the parts of the pupils. Steffan Rhodri, who plays senior teacher Glyn Morgan said, “It was with some trepidation that I entered the mad, anarchic world of Those That Can’t but I needn’t have feared. “The cast were welcoming and friendly with a cheeky glint of a knowing smile, just like the Valleys they portray. “It was great fun to record and is the funniest Welsh sitcom since Gavin and Stacey!” As ex-teachers, Chris Corcoran and Greg Davies came up with the idea of Those That Can’t from their own experiences and then let rip with an exaggerated version of those days. The main characters in Tom Jones Comprehensive School are Bryn Williams, the Deputy Head, who has taught there all his life and can’t wait to retire, and his best mate and senior teacher Glyn Morgan, who misses the days discipline could be achieved with the justice stick. He spends his time tormenting, the third main character, the unfortunate, intellectually- challenged pupil John Jones who, partially as a result of Glyn’s manipulation, is always in trouble. Add the Valley girls who are obsessed with The Jeremy Kyle Show and Skidders the boy in denial of his hygiene issues into the mix and you have a show full of comedy and chaos. As in series one and two, the show’s pupils are all played by local youngsters many of whom had no drama experience or background. Those That Can’t Press Release 6.7.2011 Writer and star Chris Corcoran, 39, who is from Tonteg, said, “To anyone who has been to school the characters feel familiar and whilst there is plenty of conflict, all the characters are loveable and compel the audience to care about them. “Some of the things that go on in Tom Jones Comprehensive would never happen but I hope that beneath the pantomime elements of the show there is a reality to the characters and the situations they find themselves in. “We have exaggerated the mayhem of school life but the best characters are grounded in reality. I hope that people will listen to the show and recognise elements of their own school years within the silliness of the situations our teachers and pupils are placed in. “The local youngsters who play the pupils are so talented and grounded. We wanted them to sound authentic and they were fantastic. “ Chris met Greg Davies when they both worked on a BBC children’s cartoon a few years ago and following many chats about their past jobs as teachers, they decided to write a sitcom on something they knew about. Greg said, “Chris and I are both ex- teachers from similarly working class comps and inevitably had many shared experiences. “The sitcom popped up organically during reminisces. One of the schools I taught at was an old fashioned secondary modern (the county of Berkshire did not let tradition slip without a fight) and many of the staff had been there for their whole professional lives. “I met some incredible characters there and whilst the school was, inevitably, not a success academically there was strength of character by the bucket load and the relationships between staff and pupils far stronger than at many of the 'better' schools I taught at. “Those That Can’t is full of warmth, humour and mayhem and we hope people tune in and enjoy the chaos.” The show also features performances from Vern Griffiths, Catrin Mara, Matthew Gravelle and Siriol Jenkins. The first episode of the six episode series of Those That Can’t will be broadcast on BBC Radio Wales on Friday July 8, 2011 at 7pm and repeated on Sunday July 10, 2011 at 4.30pm. *For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact Alison Watkins on 07854 386054 or e-mail [email protected] Note to Editors: Chris Corcoran is a comedian who has recently starred in BBC Wales’s Easy Ryder:Chris Corcoran’s Guide to the Ryder Cup and Wales and the Other Five Nations. He also co- hosted Rhod Gilberts Radio Wales show. Those That Can’t Press Release 6.7.2011 Greg Davies is a star of Channel Four’s The Inbetweeners, an Edinburgh Comedy Award 2010 nominee and had successful tour Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog. He is also a regular panellist on shows like Mock the Week and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Those That Can’t Press Release 6.7.2011.

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