Funny Woman season 2 will catch up with lovable Barbara Parker, aka telly comedy star Sophie Straw, played again by Gemma Arterton. Barbara is a working-class woman from Blackpool who in Funny Woman series one managed to make her name in a major TV sitcom in the Swinging Sixties, despite being a woman in a hugely male-dominated world.
As we rejoin Sophie Straw, she’s finding that fame isn’t all it's cracked up to be and she desperately wants to make her own voice heard. But it’s not easy as a woman in the 1970s, particularly a beautiful one when the world sees you as little more than a comic muse.
Here’s everything you need to know about season two of the Sky Max comedy Funny Woman….
Funny Woman season 2 release date
Funny Woman season 2 launches in the UK on Sky Max, Sky Showcase and NOW from Friday September 6 2024 at 9pm, with the six episodes shown weeklyon these channels at the same time, plus as a box set on Sky Box Sets.
Viewers also can catch up on Funny Woman season 1 on NOW, Sky Max and Sky Box Sets, ahead of the new series. NBCUniversal Global Distribution handle international sales of the series on behalf of Sky Studios.
Is there a trailer for Funny Woman season 2?
Yes Sky has now released its trailer for Funny Woman series 2 which you can watch below...
Funny Woman season 2 plot
Funny Woman season 2 sees Sophie Straw frustrated as she's fed up with being the comic muse in old school comedy shows. She tries branching out into art house cinema in the hope it will be more progressive but finds that is not the case either. Undeterred and as determined as ever, Sophie decides to create her own comedy show where she can tell her own stories and get her authentic voice heard.
She is the nation’s favourite TV comedy star — she’s got a group of good friends and her romance with Dennis is full of promise. But trouble is just round the corner: Dennis's divorce will take three years; Sophie’s new sitcom flops and she uncovers a devastating family secret. Sophie escapes the turmoil by taking a leading role in a film opposite a glamorous French movie heart-throb. The film is a hit and Sophie’s slick new US agent offers her a fresh start in Hollywood…
But Sophie returns to London, determined to get the gang back together and to create a new show which reflects her real life, challenges outdated cultural conventions and proves that she and her mates are Funny Women!
Gemma Arterton on Funny Woman season 2
Gemma says of Funny Woman season 2: "Sophie has what she's always wanted, but she doesn't have her team. She loves Dennis but he’s married and there are problems with his divorce and whether they can be together, as the press are interested in her."
Meanwhile, her relationship with her dad, George (David Threlfall), is under strain following the reappearance of her estranged mother Gloria (Olivia Williams). "She found out her dad withheld letters from her mother,’ explains Gemma. ‘She's furious. But she goes on a journey…
"Sophie has the capability to create her own work. She does a French film and tries to be a serious actress before realising her passion is in comedy. She starts to break new ground and do things her own way."
Funny Woman — season 1 recap (with spoilers)
Based on Nick Hornby’s bestselling book Funny Girl, series one of Funny Woman saw brash, brainy and beautiful Barbara leave Blackpool and move to London to make it as an actress. However, the 1960s were not the place for a woman to be taken seriously and she faced misogyny (and often worse) at every turn. But with her natural humour and lovable nature, Barbara soon forced her way into a mainstream TV sitcom and her alter-ego Sophie Straw was born. Barbara fell for her egotistic co-star Clive Richardson (Tom Bateman) but left him when he cheated on her. Eventually she realised she was meant to be with her kindly producer Dennis Mahindra (Arsher Ali).
Funny Woman season 2 — returning cast
Gemma Arterton, who plays lead character Barbara Parker again, shot to fame as Strawberry Fields in the Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. She’s also been in The Boat That Rocked, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Their Finest, Black Narcissus and The King’s Man.
Arsher Ali is back as producer Dennis while Alistair Petrie returns as Ted Sargeant, plus David Threlfall and Rosie Cavaliero played Barbara’s father and aunt, George Parker and Marie Parker. Alexa Davies is back as Marjorie Harrison as are Matthew Beard Bill Gardiner, Leo Bill as Tony and Clare-Hope Ashitey as Diane.
On Season 2, Arsher Ali reveals: "Dennis and Ted Sargent have fallen out. They've had a master and apprentice relationship. The apprentice, Dennis, turned on him because he really wanted to fight to have Sophie in the show and respects her ideas and vision. In series 1, Sophie convinced him to give her a show called ‘Just Barbara’. But unbeknownst to Dennis and the boys, Tony and Bill, Dennis goes off to sign a contract with the rival network. Then, at the end of series 1, Dennis finds the courage to tell Sophie how he feels, and there's a nice moment where they kiss for the first time. So, we're coming straight off the back of that… they're not working together. There's the major spanner in the works of Dennis’ divorce – to all intents and purposes, he is still a married man.
"In the first episode of series 2, the wheels are in motion. Dennis and his wife, Edith, visit a lawyer. Edith is the one who's been adulterous to all intents and purposes but can't admit it. It would be quite devastating for her in a societal way as in this era it would absolutely ruin her career and reputation. There were no such things as no fault divorces back then. The only way to get around it is to be legally separated for three years and then it warrants a kind of automatic divorce.
"Sophie's character is a bit like ‘who cares? Let's just do it anyway’ – but then for Dennis, he thinks ‘if I do this, if you were ever seen with me – a married man, it would ruin your career’. Dennis worries Sophie would be dragged down. He does not want to do that, as much as he loves her. There’s an element of self-sacrifice, of true love, which is great to play."
Funny Woman season 2 — new cast joining this second series
Funny Woman season 2 includes plenty of new cast joining the series including Steve Zissis (The Changeling, Togetherness), Marcus Rutherford (The Wheel of Time, Obey), Tim Key (The Witchfinder, This Time with Alan Partridge), Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones, Cristóbal Balenciaga, The Tower) and Roisin Conaty (GameFace, Man Down).
Behind the scenes and more on Funny Woman season 2
Funny Woman series 2 is produced by Potboiler and Rebel Park Productions, in association with Sky Studios. Creative director of Comedy Anil Gupta is Executive Producer for Sky Studios. The new series is executive produced by Nick Hornby, Morwenna Banks, Gemma Arterton, Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan, Jessica Parker and Jessica Malik. Ross Williams is series producer. The series is written by multi-award-winning writer Morwenna Banks (Slow Horses), BAFTA and Emmy winning writers Kevin Cecil (Veep) and Andy Riley (Veep). BAFTA nominee Oliver Parker (The Great Escaper) directs.
Funny Woman season 2 writer, Executive Producer, Morwenna Banks says: “It’s a thrill to dive back into the world of 1960’s London - with the extraordinary cast and crew of Funny Woman series 2. Thanks to the genius of Gemma Arterton as Nick Hornby's heroine Sophie Straw - a whole host of new guest stars have joined us. We welcome stellar performances from Steve Zissis, Marcus Rutherford, Tim Key, Gemma Whelan, Roisin Conaty and many more …Tune in Turn On and don’t Drop Out.”
