It is 2014, and “the gayest summer in British history”. The first legal gay marriages are taking place. Conchita Wurst has won Eurovision. But for Jack, the hero of Big Boys, one very particular cherry is about to be dropped on top of this towering rainbow cake: Alison Hammond has signed up to do Strictly Come Dancing.
New British comedies are so rarely afforded the time or space to find their feet these days, but every now and then a sitcom comes along fully formed and feels like a dead cert from the off. The first series of Big Boys was one of the unicorns, landing with its own voice, its own style and, crucially, a huge amount of warmth and pathos that set it apart as something special.
