“We’ve been dumped in Bike Squad because we’re too stoned, too stroppy, too soft or too stupid...”Maxine Peake and Mark Addy saddle up for a new 90-minute comedy-drama for ITV created by multi-award winning Guy Jenkin (Jeffrey Archer: The Truth, Life on Mars, Drop the Dead Donkey).Bike Squad takes a very different look at the police force. A new ‘cycle cop scheme’ is put in place for the obstinate constables so they can become a more ‘mobile flexible response unit that takes down the glass between the police and the public’. Set up as a sly form of punishment, Chief Inspector, Albert Custer (Phil Davis – Bleak House, Rose and Maloney, Vera Drake) has little faith in his squad and is certain this scheme will force them to quit.Sergeant John Rook (Mark Addy – Bonkers, The Full Monty, The Thin Blue Line) has been in the force for years and while he enjoys teasing his colleagues, he would be the first to help them out when in trouble. However, when John is appointed ‘Head of Bike Squad’ he does all he can to avoid it - the only exercise John enjoys are eating and drinking! Fellow Bike Squad member WPC Kate McFay (Maxine Peake – Confessions of a Diary Secretary, Shameless, See No Evil: The Moors Murders) – whom John has always thought of as ‘just a lesbian’ – is a tough and opinionated woman. Despite her differences with John, she realises they have things in common and Kate becomes a huge help with John’s recent depressed state and family issues. Together, they soon realise the best way to annoy their boss is to finally become good at their jobs and make Bike Squad a success. With all odds against them, will they succeed?Paul Jackson, ITV’s director of Comedy and Entertainment says “Guy has written a great script. Bike Squad shows a fun side to the police force – everybody loves the underdog and I know our audience will grow to love them and laugh along with them” He continues, “We are thrilled to have Mark, Maxine, and Phil back on ITV.”Jimmy Mulville, managing director of Hat Trick Productions, says “Bike Squad has all the hallmarks of a great ITV comedy drama, with loveable central characters brought to life by two of the country's best-loved actors in Mark Addy and Maxine Peake.”
Writer Guy Jenkin - who will also be directing and producing the film - adds “I wanted to do something that took a fresh look at the police; something that was belly-laugh-funny but also took a serious look at the lives of our characters.”
Bike Squad is a Hat Trick Production for ITV1. The appointed distributor is Minotaur International which will launch the programme at Mipcom 2007. Filming will take place in Shoreditch.