Cold Feet to tackle male depression

18 August 2016

'Cold Feet' is to tackle the taboo topic of male depression.

James Nesbitt

The comedy's writer Mike Bullen has admitted he was plunged into darkness after the first run of the drama ended in 2003 and is now keen to bring his own personal experience with the mental health illness into the new series of the show.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, he said: "I'd be asked to write something, I'd deliver it and then I'd get these disappointed responses from TV companies saying, 'But this isn't 'Cold Feet', is it? I went through a depression. I couldn't get off my couch. I want to talk about depression in men in the new series, as it is something that isn't explored in drama."

The popular comedy-drama series is set to explode on to television screens later this year following 13 years off air.

James Nesbitt will be joined by Robert Bathurst, Fay Ripley, John Thomson and Hermione Norris as he reprises his role as serial womaniser Adam Williams in the new series.

Helen Baxendale won't be making an appearance as her character Rachel Bradley was killed in a car crash in 2003.

The eight-part comedy, which will be produced by Rebecca Ferguson, will take over from 'Downton Abbey's Sunday night slot on ITV after the period drama sadly ended last year.

Meanwhile, James is determined to make the return as memorable as possible and has asked Elbow's Guy Garvey and I Am Kloot's Peter Jobson to pen the new theme tune.

The song has been given the name 'The Rover Returns', a reference to ITV's other show 'Coronation Street's fictional pub, and is a freshened version of the track 'Female Of The Species' used in the original series back in 1998.