James R | On 25, Jan 2022

Romesh Ranganathan is reteaming with BBC One for Avoidance, a new comedy series.

The actor, comedian and Weakest Link host will star in the warm and bittersweet family sitcom about a man with severe conflict avoidance issues who is forced to change for the sake of his son. Jonathan’s (Romesh Ranganathan) life revolves around his nine year-old son, Spencer, and he’s always deferred the big and small decisions to his partner Claire (Jessica Knappett). So when Claire asks him to leave, Jonathan realises he has no home, no friends and no ambition. Except one: to try to preserve his son’s happiness in the face of his parents’ break-up.

Jonathan takes Spencer and runs away. But he only gets as far as the home of sister Danielle (Mandeep Dhillon) and her wife Courtney (Lisa McGrillis). Over the course of the series, the unlikely foursome gradually become a loving but utterly dysfunctional family unit. Can a Beta male find some backbone? And can Jonathan avoid passing his failings (and his really bad dress sense) on to his son?

Rangathan co-created the six-part series with Benjamin Green, who also directs the series. It is produced by Ranga Bee and CPL Productions.

Green, co-founder of Ranga Bee, says: “It was not exactly a tough ask for Romesh and myself to imagine what life would be like for a useless, conflict averse, procrastinating Beta male. It was trickier to work out what would happen if he was actually forced to change. We are delighted the BBC have allowed us to make a show for all those people that cannot turn an invitation down or tell a waiter they have the wrong order and especially for those poor souls that have to live with them.”

Ranganathan adds: “Ben and I first conceived this idea in 2017 and have been thinking about it on and off ever since, so if it disappeared after one series it would be really annoying. If I say the BBC have committed to three series in this quote, do they have to honour that?”

Avoidance will air on BBC One later this year.

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