Everything you need to know about the new TV comedy Newark, Newark – starting at 9pm tonight

GOLD’s brand new and completely original comedy has a warm, real-life core

Does life really begin at 40? Chip shop manager Pugnacious Maxine Sinclair (Morgana Robinson, House of Fools ) certainly hope so.

Recently divorced, Maxine is looking for a life partner to replace her no-nonsense ex-husband Terry (Mathew Horne, Gavin and Stacey ) and rekindled her fire. However, with her fiery temper like deep fryers, should Maxine find out who is yin or yang?

Set in the working-class Eastern Midlands market town, GOLD’s brand new, original comedy Newark, Newark starting Monday, March 28 at 9pm.

Maxine may be looking for her next adventure – heck, she might even think it’s her time to shine – but her 16-year-old son Leslie has other ideas.

In his own mind, Leslie – played by newcomer Jai Hollis – was poised to earn admiration from his peers when he announced that he was part of the LGBTQ+ community. He’s on a mission to make this summer of love his summer of love, but also to last the family drama for a full six weeks.

Desperate to attract attention, Leslie plans to appear at her mother’s 40th birthday party. What he doesn’t realize is that his sexuality is less of a mystery to people – and even less of interest – than he imagines it to be.

While her son does what he can to steal her sparkle, Maxine Pauline’s mother – none other than the former Opening the street star Beverley Callard – is in business to smother it.

Maxine is looking for a partner to truly light her fire and, in Leslie’s words, is beginning her own sexual renaissance. However, Pauline has a very different view and thinks that if a man has teeth of his own, it is something worth sticking with.

“Pauline is hideous,” Beverley revealed. “She’s gross, she’s vulgar, she’s quite cruel sometimes – but she’s funny!”

Based on the life of show creator Nathan Foad and his mother, Newark, Newark anchored in Maxine and Leslie’s unique mother-daughter bond.

Nathan explains: “When people ask, ‘Why are you funny?’ I have two answers: first, because I am a chubby kid, and second, because I have a very funny mother. My mother and I have this special bond and – this is out of the question for my brothers, whom I hold dear – but I have always felt like an only child. “

Maxine and Leslie are both very conflicted about where they “should be” in life, which fuels the bubbly comedy in warm, grounded territory – a real win for GOLD.

Watch Newark, Newark from 9pm on Monday 28/3 on GOLD channel. The three episodes will air over three nights (28, 29 and 30) at 9pm. Then, catch up on requests on Sky and Virgin.