A New Era of British Comedy
British slapstick comedy has, in many ways, been left behind in the past. However, there are still shows that manage to push boundaries and deliver dark, often shocking humor. Julia Davis’s Nighty Night is a prime example—its dark and disgusting tone continues to shock even after repeated viewings. Since then, her work has only become more twisted. Similarly, Kathy Burke’s Gimme Gimme Gimme, a sitcom about two spiteful flatmates, broke barriers that few had asked for. The character of Linda La Hughes, with her unfiltered and horny energy, was as unnerving as it was hilarious.
This kind of comedy seems to have found its natural successor in the form of Dickie, a deluded drag queen from Middlesbrough, complete with terrible eyebrows and a wig that looks like it belongs to a serial killer. Enter Smoggie Queens, a show that quickly became beloved by LGBTQ+ communities, theys, and anyone who stumbled upon this loud and proud BBC comedy about the North East’s overlooked LGBTQ+ community.
A Show That Resonates
Three Bafta nominations later, on a scorching hot day last September, the highly anticipated second series of Smoggie Queens is being filmed. At a community centre on the outskirts of Middlesbrough, the cast is giddy with excitement, thrilled to be returning to the strange imagination of creator, writer, and star Phil Dunning.
Dunning says: “We thought it’d be quite niche being LGBTQ+, but it’s really hit audiences – especially in Teesside. But then also the queer community has said, ‘This is the kind of comedy that we want.’”
The show’s audience has grown beyond expectations, as Smoggie Queens offers comedy that goes beyond its queerness. It’s a comedy about a group of gays, but its dark slapstick humor appeals to everyone—including “a lot of straight, proper burly, straight men.” Dunning adds: “We’ve had a lot of, ‘Actually, I didn’t expect to like it.’”
The show has made waves in Australia and has even been adapted into Spanish, though Dunning admits that some of the unique local dialects will need to be changed.
A Cast of Unlikely Stars
Dickie’s world may revolve around him, but Smoggie Queens is ultimately about friendship. Somehow, Dickie has a special circle of chosen family who love him—made up of self-styled ‘hun’ Lucinda (Alexandra Mardell), gassy lesbian Sal (Patsy Lowe), ‘baby gay’ Stewart (Elijah Young), and Mam, perfectly described as “the matriarchal heart and home of Smoggie Queens,” played by the superb Mark Benton.
Benton is so in his element as a drag queen that it’s astonishing he hasn’t spent his entire life in a glamorous frock and sky-high heels. Norris, who plays one of the characters, jokes: “As soon as he’s got the nails on, his posture changes and the things he comes out with—he reads us!”
Benton isn’t the only star power in the cast. Drag Race’s Michelle Visage and former BBC presenter Steph McGovern are returning for season two, and Bafta-winner Monica Dolan joins the cast after personally requesting a part. According to executive producer Chris Jones, “She texted Mark to say she loved the show—and that’s how that happened.” This comes as a surprise to Dunning, who says: “Monica just really threw herself into the part. It was fascinating to watch. You’re like, ‘Oh, that’s why she’s won a Bafta.’”
Mardell adds: “She really threw herself into Smoggie culture too. She took herself for a parmo!”
Heart and Humor
Dolan is an extraordinary talent, but on the surface, she seems an unlikely fit for one of the BBC’s most obscene and off-beat comedies. Smoggie Queens is driven by absurdity, but its gut-punches never miss. In series one, Mam revealed she had a son she hadn’t seen since he was a small boy. The boy’s mother cut Mam off completely—she’d have had to give up her true identity to keep her family.
“Back in the day, dad in a frock, didn’t have a leg to Stanton when it came to custody, chick,” Mam tells the others. Dolan plays the mother whose prejudice deprived her son of a father, but the storyline is described as “very nuanced.”
Jones insists: “We don’t want to paint anyone as the villain in this family matter—in a chosen-family comedy.”
Elsewhere, Stuart has moved in with Mam after being rejected by his nan when he came out in the series one finale. “He’s found his family with this gang of weirdos,” Norris grins.
It was an unexpected heartbreak amid the debaucherous chaos of Smoggie Queens—but one that resonated with thousands of viewers of all ages. Norris says: “People say we’ve had too many coming-out stories, but I think they’re always needed. It’s really lovely how much people relate to the show—despite it being so out there—because these relationships are also really grounded.”
A Show for Everyone
There’s a Smoggie Queens character for everyone. Mardell says: “A lot of camp girls relate to Lucinda,” while Lowe laughs: “People just really enjoy how strange Sal is, even if she’s just doing something weird in the back.”
As someone who, even at 37 years old, still greatly appreciates a fart joke, Sal lets several rip, and they never stop being funny. Lowe gives a cheeky wink: “You never know, you might get another one in series two.”
The Smoggie Queens cast agrees that its second chapter takes everything fans loved about the first season and cranks it up a gear. No matter how many series Smoggie Queens runs for—or how successful it becomes—one thing that will never change is its beating heart: Middlesbrough.
“Queens on the scene here have already said how much the show has changed their lives,” says Norris. “There’s now a spotlight on drag in the North East—specifically Teesside—which is so amazing.”
Smoggie Queens returns to BBC Three on May 15.
