*** Don't miss my giveaway to win a copy of the DVD ! ***
Did you manage to catch the fabulous BBC drama In The Club when it was on TV recently? I was gutted to miss the first few episodes because we were on holiday, so I was over the moon when I discovered that it was going straight to DVD. It is about to hit the stores next week, on the 22nd September but you can pre-order it already - unless you want to try your luck in my giveaway, coming right up in my next blogpost ! I devoured the whole thing in two nights when I received my review copy - it's that good !
The series centres around an antenatal class, a situation that brings together a random group of women from all walks of life who are joined together in unlikely friendships due to their shared pregnancies. This is totally realistic and reminded me very much of my own experiences at ante-natal classes !
As soon as I saw the all-star cast and learnt that it was written by renowned writer Kay Mellor, creator of The Syndicate, Playing the Field and Fat Friends, I knew it would be good and I wasn't disappointed.
Each of the six episodes centres on a different mum-to-be and each of them has a dramatic and poignant tale to tell. The main characters are :
- Roanna, played by Hermione Norris (Cold Feet), a 40-something mum-to-be in the midst of a messy divorce and expecting with her 27-year-old toyboy boyfriend.
- Diane Manning, played by Jill Halfpenny (who I loved in Eastenders and Waterloo Road) and husband Rick, (played by the rather tasty Will Mellor, best known for Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) are awaiting twins, their miracle babies, after being told they wouldn't be able to conceive. The pressure is on for Rick to provide for his family and he makes some bad choices with catastrophic consequences - Alfie Moon isn't the only dad to find himself with his back against the wall !
- Kim, a blogger and teaching assistant played by Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd), is expecting her first baby with partner Susie (Tara Fitzgerald – Waking The Dead) and sperm donor Neil (Jonathan Kerrigan - Heartbeat).
- Young Asian newlywed Jasmin (Taj Atwal – Stella) is desperately hoping her baby will come out the right colour after a stupid and sorely regretted one night stand that she may not be able to deny - she provides a fabulous mix of humour and poignancy.
- Vicky (played by Christine Bottomley – Hope Springs), the antenatal class leader but also heavily pregnant herself, with a doctor dad-to-be who's a total commitment-phobe. Will she get her happy ending?
- Fifteen-year-old Rosie (Hannah Midgley - Emmerdale) is hiding her pregnancy from everyone - her dad, the school and even her baby's mystery father -and she turns to Kim's pregnancy blog for support.
The actresses (and their supporting cast of other halves) all manage to realistically portray the highs and lows of pregnancy and maternity. As the dramatic tales unfold, you can't help but empathise with them, by turns laughing and shedding a tear at their predicaments.
If you haven't seen it yet, buy the DVD or put it on your Christmas list - it's perfect viewing snuggled up on the settee under a blanket this autumn/winter !
star rating : 5/5
Title: In The Club
Release Date: 22 September 2014
Cat No: AV3207
RRP: £19.99
Running Time: 360 mins approx on 2 discs
Disclosure ; I received a copy of the DVD in order to write an honest review .
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I loved this series.....The last episode did seemed rushed though....Made me cry and laugh! Such a fab show. x
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