Ruby Speaking is a comedy that finds the funny side of life in a call centre for the staff at the Bristol offices of fictional telecoms company Hellocom.
Comedian and actress Jayde Adams was a huge hit on Strictly Come Dancing 2022 and now she plays a character who is just as popular in her own line of work.
This time, she’s the bubbly and likeable Ruby, the life and soul of her call centre in Bristol in the UK. Ruby can’t bring herself to stick to the script, in the workplace or in life in general, so walks her own chaotic path. The series also stars former Coronation Street and Mr Selfridge star Katherine Kelly as well as Ackley Bridge star Amy-Leigh Hickman.
Here’s everything you need to know about Ruby Speaking coming to ITVX….
Ruby Speaking release date
Ruby Speaking is a six-part comedy series that will launch as a box set on ITVX on Thursday June 22 2023, followed by a full series broadcast on either ITV1 or ITV2 later in the year or early 2024.
Ruby Speaking plot
Ruby Speaking follows newly-single Ruby, who works as a member of the customer services team in the Bristol call center of Hellocom.
She’s fun, irreverent and fully prepared to grab life by the horns, often joined by her ragtag bunch of colleagues — but her job is under threat as boss Vicki is concerned about Ruby's sales figures. Ruby is determined to prove that she's Hellocom material and hang on to her job whatever it takes — including by leading her colleagues through a choir competition that they arguably have no business being in...
Ruby Speaking cast — Jayde Adams as Ruby
Jayde Adams plays call centre worker Ruby. She has a hugely successful stand-up comedy career and has appeared on countless panel shows such as Would I Lie to You?, The Stand Up Sketch Show and House of Games. She hosted the show Snackmasters as well as Crazy Delicious and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing last year. She’s also had roles in The Outlaws, Alma’s Not Normal, Sick Note, Good Omens and The Fence.
Who else is starring in Ruby Speaking?
Former Coronation Street Mr Selfridge, and Gentleman Jack actress Katherine Kelly will play Vicki, Ruby's boss who lives her life according to TED talks and wellness podcasts, while Amy Leigh-Hickman (EastEnders, Ackley Bridge, YOU) is playing Hellocom's training co-ordinator Ellie.
Also, look out for Mum star Sam Swainsbury as Ruby's team leader Mark, while Joe Sims (Broadchurch) is Tom, Ruby's colleague who falls just on the right side of toxic masculinity. The Hellocom crew is completed by Jamal Franklin as Cameron, Nicky Goldie as Donna, Dan Hiscox as Craig and Kiera Lester as Melons.
Is there a trailer for Ruby Speaking?
There's no trailer for Ruby Speaking available at the moment but when ITV releases one we’ll post it here.
Ruby Speaking behind the scenes
Ruby Speaking is created by Yellow Door Productions is written by Abigail Wilson and is executive produced by Lucy Lumsden. The series is directed by Rosie Gaunt-Mathieson and produced by Jon Macqueen.
Interview: Jayde Adams on Ruby Speaking
How did the show come about?
"Seven years ago, I met with Lucy Lumsden, the executive producer, we were trying to come up with ideas, and she said to me, 'where did you work before?'. I said 'a call centre' and she went 'bingo!'. We went to visit one, and I got a bit worried that I might be prying into people's private lives — and when I got there, to make things more awkward, there was a girl from university that I did my Drama, Theatre and Media course with. But actually, when I was talking to her, I realised none of my worries had any basis in reality — she was very content and happy in her job, and that was basically the catalyst for the show. A lot of TV programmes are about the people who need to leave where they live, but this is about the people who stay behind."
What can you tell us about Ruby?
"She's an incredibly confident woman who has just gone through a breakup, where she did the breaking-up. She's very confident, but she has no focus — she's very loosely based on a younger version of me! She meddles a lot in people's lives, because she can see problems and she wants to fix them. She fits very much into Bristol's landscape — these very creative, colourful, working-class women who live in Bristol, and this is our love letter to them."
You were very keen to cast genuine Bristolians in the show where possible — how did you go about that?
"One thing I'm massively proud of is that we've got some genuine Bristolian accents — because there have been a lot of shows that have focused on Bristol, and let's just say some of the accents were ropey at best!
We swept the city looking for people — I'm going to take full credit for Dan Hiscox [who plays Craig]! I knew I saw a star when he first walked in and asked me about my mum. He's a chef from Pucklechurch, and he came in and as soon as Rosie [Gaunt-Mathieson, the director] started talking he had the job, because he listened and he took direction really well. When people watch it, they will be astounded that he hasn't had training. One of the best things is proving to everyone that you don't need all of that stuff to get in this industry, and that will only happen if people like me send the ladder back down."
There's a bit of a slow-burn romance going on with Ruby and her team leader Mark. What can you tell us about that?
"She's made the decision to split up with the boyfriend that she had, because he just wasn't right, so she's in this place where she's making choices in her life. She hasn't really decided that Mark's who she wants, but Melons puts the idea in her head! From then on, it's sort of a sweet spot for her — they get on, and they're silly with each other. She's looking for a guy who's quite different to her, which is Mark — but he can't see her, because he's going for what he thinks he should be going for, which is the tiny training co-ordinator, Ellie. In fact, he should be with Ruby — but we're not going to give you that in series one, are we? Where would we go with series two?!"
