Russell T. Davies Casts Alan Cumming & David Morrissey To Lead Channel 4’s ‘Tip Toe’
Russell T. Davies has cast Alan Cumming and David Morrissey in Tip Toe, his latest queer Channel 4 drama that he said last month is “the strongest thing I’ve written.”
The Traitors host Cumming and Sherwood star Morrissey are Leo and Clive, who have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. Just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense. Davies has previously described Tip Toe as a cross between his cult Channel 4 drama Queer as Folk, which was also set in Manchester, and dystopian BBC series Years and Years.
Joining Cumming and Morrisey are Pooky Quesnel (The A Word, Moonflower Murders) as Clive’s wife Marie, Jackson Connor (Phoenix Rise, Masters of the Air) as Clive’s youngest son George, Joseph Evans (The Map That Leads To You, CC Emily) as George’s older brother Saul, Elizabeth Berrington (Lost Boys & Fairies, Last Night In Soho) as Leo’s best friend Stephanie, Iz Hesketh (Renegade Nell, Hollyoaks) as Zee and Shakeel Kimotho (La Cage Aux Folles (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre)), CATS (International Tour) as Hanna, who both work at the Spit & Polish bar, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Wednesday, Devs) as the bar’s manager Judy, Paul Rhys (Saltburn, Napoleon) as Melba, a Canal Street fixture, Charlie Condou (Doctor Who, Unforgotten) as Leo’s ex-husband Curtis, and Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Coronation Street) as Diane.
Cumming, who has been having quite the career revival as host of Peacock’s The Traitors, said: “The best things in life are worth waiting for, and the best people. Russell T Davies and I have been trying to work together for over 20 years. Now, not only are we working together but doing so with one of my dearest, oldest friends, Dave Morrissey, and in a piece of work I think is so brilliant and prescient and necessary. I don’t say this lightly, but this is truly an honour.”
Morrissey, who previously worked with Davies io Doctor Who, added: “I’m delighted to be working with Russell again, and also to be working with Alan who has been a great friend of mine for over 40 years but we’ve never had the chance to work together. It’s a privilege to be with them both on this astonishing piece of work.”
Tip Toe comes from Davies’ long-time producing partner Nicola Shindler and her Quay Street Productions. Davies, Peter Hoar and Cumming also serve as EPs. The series will be produced by Phil Collinson, directed by Peter Hoar and is cast by Andy Pryor. Gemma Boswell is the Commissioning Editor at Channel 4. Tip Toe is produced in association with ITV Studio, which will distribute the show internationally.
