The BBC’s latest comedy, Smoggie Queens, funded by the North East Production Fund, turned Middlesbrough Town Hall pink last week as the iconic building played host to the premiere of the laugh-out-load comedy set on Teesside.
Written and staring Middlesbrough native Phil Dunning, Smoggie Queens is a side-spliting comedy about an LGBTQIA+ group of friends who are fiercely proud of their town and community. Phil plays volatile Dickie, alongside matriarchal drag queen ‘Mam’ (Mark Benton, Waterloo Road, Northern Lights), self-styled hun Lucinda (Alexandra Mardell, Coronation Street), awkward Sal (Patsy Lowe, Vera) and baby gay Stewart (newcomer Elijah Young). They are joined by an impressive supporting cast featuring Michelle Visage (Drag Race UK) and well known Teessiders Steph McGovern (Steph’s Packed Lunch), Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders) and Bill Fellows (Coronation Street, Ted Lasso).
The premiere saw cast, crew, North East Screen and BBC stakeholders as well as 500 public guests fill the Town Hall for a preview of episode 1 and 3 before they aired on BBC Three and iPlayer on Thursday 28th November.
The stars of the show as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ community strutted their stuff along the pink carpet speaking to local media outlets and posing for photos. Drag Race UK runner up and Geordie drag queen, Michael Morouli, hosted the event and a Q&A with the cast following the screening.
Filming of Smoggie Queens took place throughout the summer in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Eaglescliffe, with support from North East Screen’s Film Office. A large portion of crew were from the North East and a number of trainees got their first experience of a scripted series via the support of the North East Screen Skills team.
You can watch Smoggie Queens on iPlayer now. Or, catch it on BBC Three on Thursdays at 9pm.
