Diane Morgan Returns as Philomena Cunk in New BBC Comedy Series
Diane Morgan, the acclaimed comedian known for her role in Last One Laughing, is set to make a triumphant return to television screens. The 50-year-old star will reprise her beloved character Philomena Cunk in a new BBC comedy series, reuniting with Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker, 55. This marks the latest installment in their highly praised series of mock documentaries, which have garnered critical acclaim for their witty and satirical take on various subjects.
Cunk on Cinema: A Deep Dive into Film History
The new series, titled Cunk on Cinema, will consist of three parts and has just commenced production this week. In this latest venture, Philomena Cunk—an ill-informed investigative reporter—will tackle the vast and complex world of cinema. The show promises to explore everything from the invention of the camera to the New Wave filmmakers of the 1960s, the rise of CGI, and the future implications of artificial intelligence in filmmaking.
Produced by Pacesetter Productions, the series will feature Philomena asking experts a series of hard-hitting questions about the history of cinema. Viewers can expect her to break down these topics while seated in lumpy cinema chairs with stale popcorn, attempting to unravel the origins and evolution of the film industry.
Quotes from the Creators and Cast
Philomena Cunk, portrayed by Diane Morgan, shared her thoughts on the project: 'Cinema has given the world some of the most profound, memorable, and moving visual moments in its unswerving depiction of the human condition: the shower scene in Psycho, Death playing chess in that Swedish thing, and Tom Selleck's glistening moustache in Three Men And A Little Lady, to name but all three of the only examples I can think of at the moment. There will, unfortunately, be some bits in black and white, but we'll keep that to the barest minimum.'
Charlie Brooker added his signature humor: 'Now that Sora has killed off Hollywood and itself (presumably as part of a murder-suicide pact), it's the perfect time to look back at two hundred centuries of cinema, in the company of an idiot we're apparently cursed to employ: Philomena Cunk.'
Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC, expressed his excitement: 'Philomena Cunk is back! As our leading intrepid documentary filmmaker, who better to investigate the world of cinema? This series follows in the hugely successful footsteps of other Cunk projects, so we can't wait to see what she unearths this time around. A huge thank you to the incredibly talented team at Pacesetter, Diane and Charlie for bringing Philomena back onto our screens.'
Broadcast Details and Fan Reactions
Cunk on Cinema will debut on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two for viewers in the UK and Ireland, while international audiences can catch it on Netflix. This announcement comes amid mixed reactions from fans of Last One Laughing, who have been vocal about their opinions on the show's recent finale twist.
Controversy Surrounding Last One Laughing Finale
The second series of Prime Video's Last One Laughing concluded with a tie-breaker that left many fans fuming. In the final episode, comedians Mel Giedroyc, Bob Mortimer, Sam Campbell, and David Mitchell battled for the trophy. With 40 minutes remaining, host Jimmy Carr introduced a sudden-death rule, where any laughter or smiling would result in immediate elimination.
After tense head-to-head challenges, David Mitchell emerged victorious, but the decision was based on a tie-breaker that considered who had caused the most laughs throughout the series. Flashbacks showed Sam Campbell making Bob laugh by picking him up, while David Mitchell garnered laughs from Diane Morgan and Bob. Jimmy Carr crowned David the winner, leading to mixed reactions from viewers.
Fan Outrage and Defense
Many fans took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, calling the tie-breaker 'anti-climactic' and 'harsh.' One viewer commented: 'For season 3 they got to think of a better tiebreaker that ending was so anti climatic it stank.' Another added: 'Just watched Last One Laughing final and although I love David the correct winner was Sam.' A third noted: 'Dave smiled SO many times, Sam never broke once. Plus, they have Dave a point for making Dianne laugh when in fact it was Bob jointly involved (arm wrestle). Really harsh on Sam Campbell.'
Some fans felt the outcome was unfair, with one stating: 'Feel as though the producers/Jimmy just wanted to invite David back next year because Sam was the clear winner. It’s also called last one laughing, not who made the most laugh.' Others criticized the finale as 'lame' and 'not a patch on 1st series.'
However, not all reactions were negative. Many fans defended the episode, praising David Mitchell's win. One supporter said: 'Another great season!' while another added: 'Congrats to David Mitchell - a more than worthy winner. That head to head with the food was brilliant.'
As Diane Morgan prepares to bring Philomena Cunk back to screens, the entertainment world buzzes with anticipation for her new series and continues to debate the dramatic finale of Last One Laughing.
