Tomlinson to reprise film role in TV spin-off

Ricky Tomlinson is to star in a new ITV sitcom based on the film Mike Bassett: England Manager.

Tomlinson played the character in the low-budget British hit of 2001.

Now the Royle Family star is to appear in the TV spin-off, with Amanda Redman set to reprise her role as Bassett’s long-suffering wife.

In the film, Bassett played an old-fashioned Norwich City boss who unexpectedly landed the England job after the manager suffered a heart attack.

Shot in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary, the comedy followed his hapless attempts to lead the team to World Cup glory.

The TV series will find him fallen on hard times and manager of lowly Third Division club Wirral County.

It will chart his struggles to keep his team and his marriage together.

Writers Rob Sprackling and John Smith said: “We can’t wait to bring Bassett to the small screen.

His hapless antics at the bum end of the football league are the perfect antidote to the super-cool glamour of the Premiership.”

Tomlinson is best known for his roles as couch potato Jim Royle in BBC sitcom The Royle Family and as Bobby Grant in Channel 4 soap Brookside.

He and Redman, star of At Home With The Braithwaites, are in final negotiations with ITV.

ITV comedy controller Sioned William said: “Mike Bassett was a huge hit in cinemas and we are thrilled to be bringing these great characters back in this new incarnation.

“It’s wonderful to be working with such great actors and such talented writers.”