"We're going to see him a lot more comfortable in his own skin"
When Liverpool-set comedy G'Wed launched in 2024, it became ITVX's biggest comedy that year with its six episodes streamed 7.2m times and when it aired on ITV2 later that year, it became the biggest new comedy on any digital channel, launching with 2.1m viewers.
So it's safe to say that G'Wed, with record-breaking ratings and multiple award nominations was a huge hit, which is why the news that it had been commissioned for two further series, surprised no one.
As series two launches on ITVX (and ITV2, Thursdays at 10.05pm), we find the show's Scouse gang navigating new challenges, from age gap relationships and consent to acceptable ways to make money while still in school.
Episode one sees the late drag queen The Vivienne make a cameo, playing a Liverpool nightclub owner who spots Ted's comedic potential and offers him a spot comparing their drag night. The episode was filmed last Summer and will be dedicated to The Vivienne, airing with the blessing of the family honouring their special talent.
Rising star Jake Kenny-Byrne, plays Christopher, who we met in series one as he moved to Liverpool to live with his gran, following the death of his mother. And it's fair to say his "posh" accent stood out and his want to dress smart meant he struggled to fit in, until he made an unlikely alliance with troublemaker Reece.
I recently caught up with Jake to discuss his journey into acting, where we find Christopher in series two, what it was like to work with The Vivienne and so much more. Here's what he had to say...
How did it all start for you?
I didn't really start acting seriously until I was 16 or 17 and I joined The Rose Youth Theatre in Kingston. That's when I started learning about the craft.
Growing up, I used to love dressing up as Cruella de Vil and Captain Hook. I had this obsession with this fake plastic hook that I got from Disneyland paris when I was like 5 and then I used to steal my nan's fishnet gloves and stilettos and walk around with a stick as a fake cigarello.
Then when I was 8, I became obsessed with Doctor Who and I'd run around with a toy sonic screwdriver and make little Doctor Who movies with my friends. And that's when I realised that I love doing it. It's all just come from a love of playing dress-up. I then did school plays, which tended to be musicals and I went into more straight acting when I joined The Rose Youth Theatre.
I always wanted to train, the UK is known for training actors and there being a really high standard of drama school training, so I went to Bristol Old Vic, which I loved. Covid hit us when we were halfway through our second year. Which was difficult, but luckily it didn't affect all of our final year, we managed to get out just when restrictions were half lifted. So we got to be on stage for the final half.
But all of that. Dealing with Covid. Dealing with something uncertain. It brought us all together and made the harsh reality of being a graduate and going into the industry easier, I think. Under all those conditions and restrictions, we became hardened because we didn't know where the industry was.
How long after leaving drama school, did G'Wed come about?|
It was the summer of 2022, so I'd almost been out for a year. Had done a couple of telly jobs. Right before, I was filming for the final series of Endeavour, so I was already dipping my toe into an ITV tent pole. I knew about Inspector Morse, but only when I was on set and in Oxford, that I realised how much love there is for that show. So I felt really honoured to have played a role in its final series.
I remember getting the script for G'Wed and just like every other actor, did a self tape, and just fell in love with it. I burst out laughing reading it. There was a part of me that was excited, but also intrigued as to how that form of comedy, that close-to-the-knuckle rudeness, would work today.
It was a bout teenager in Liverpool and all I'd seen in terms of representaton of Liverpool was in darker dramas. So it was nice to read something that was portraying ordinary people. A show filled with joy, but also touched on serious issues.
Of course, I was a massive fan of The Inbetweeners and Derry Girls, and it did share that similar DNA, but reading the script I'd read some of the lines and think "Can we get away with this?" In comedy now people have to tread carefully, but I just loved the material and the character was really interesting.
I'd never been to Liverpool at the time, so if I were to get the role, my experience and my character's experience would be quite similar. So yeah, I did a tape, then a recall which is where I met the casting director, Harry Gilbert, who's fantastic and Mario (Stylianides), our producer and Danny (Kenny) our amazing writer, was on Zoom.
Then I had a third round in London and at the end of it, they asked me if I'd come to Liverpool for a chemistry test. So there were two Reeces there, two Christophers, and some of the rest of the group. It was my first time in Liverpool and when I met the cast, especially Dylan (Thomas-Smith) who plays Reece, because when we were doing our scene, it just felt right.
G'Wed was a huge success, but how would you describe it for anyone yet to discover it? And who do you play?
It's a comedy about teenagers going through day-to-day problems in a school in Liverpool. And I play Christopher, a southerner who moves to Liverpool after his mum dies, to live with his grandma.
Reece, this cheeky, troublemaker at school is close to being expelled and as a last resort, he promises the headmaster to take me under his wing in order to avoid expulsion and from then on, because we live opposite each other on the same estate, we find that we have more in common than we thought.
So it's about our friendship. Me becoming part of the gang. Becoming an honorary scouser. And also dealing with grief whilst exploring things like class and diversity within school.
There are loads of brilliantly funny one-liners throughout the series but also some really touching moments as you say. Was it nice to play the two?
Absolutely. My character's going through grief so all the way through filming, i was just playing the truth. The fantastic thing about comedy, especially comedies that lend themselves to having dramatic moments, is that audiences really connect with them because that's just what life's about. It can turn on a two pence.
In G'Wed it can go from someone taking a dump on someone else's floor as revenge to then in the next scene, someone realising they need to pack their bags because they miss home and miss their mum.
Life is all about those moments where you go from laughter to crying and then from crying to laughter, so I really enjoyed playing both of those. Particularly in series two where I get to do more comedy. It's been nice to start with series one and see that growth.
What's in store for Christopher then, in this series?
He's a lot more confident. In series one, he's a fish out of water. He's a lot more intorverted which is why Reece takes him under his wing, but also allows him to come out of his shell.
If you remember, at the end of series one, Christopher is left having to choose between committing to Aimee and meeting her dad for the first time and going to the MS meeting, or staying with Reece after going on this quest to meet Reece's dad and they've met Alan at the pub.
He chose to stay with Reece, so series two is a couple of months after and they're back at school and we're going to see him a lot more comfortable in his own skin.
In this series we explore consent and age-gap relationships and we see Christopher navigate his relationship with Aimee. Without giving anything away about where their relationship is at the start, it's definitely something that now, being 16, Christopher has to think about.
Grandma Pat has kept him in a bubble and looked after him, but is now allowing him to enjoy himself and have fun. He really feels like he's found his tribe. Series two is really about him being part of the gang and feeling a lot more comfortable.
One of the things I love about G'Wed is the ability to tackle serious subjects, through a comedy lens. I think often that holds greater power. Is that something you feel too?
Deifinitely. With us as well, the type of humour that we have, it doesn't shy away friom dealing with the issues, but what Danny (Kenny, writer) has done a great job with, is really capture how teenagers talk. Teenagers make mistakes. And teenagers say things to cause a rumble. But what's great about G'Wed is that it's always done in a punch up way, rather than punch down.
What was it like coming back together for series two? I imagine you built a great rapport during series one.
Series one felt like a holiday when we were filming it because we didn't know if we'd ever do this again so we might as well have a laugh doing it.
We've been able to see each other between series one and series two, because we've been nominated for several awards, so we see each other in London. And when it was my birthday, a few of the cast came down and I'd go up to visit, just for any excuse to see them.
So series two, because we're so close in real life, I was able to play a lot more and improvise and really flex my comedy muscles. So because of our great rapport and being so close, and knowing our characters inside out, it was brilliant being back on set.
Chloe (English), our director for series two provided such an amazing, playful and comfortable space for us to just try things out.
Another thing I love about G'Wed is that for a lot of you, this is your first major gig. What was that like?
It was lovely to be around actors for whom G'Wed was their first telly job and the level of professionalism was just astounding. Especially working with Dylan. He'd gone to college and trained.
I was a bit older than him and I'd gone to drama school, but despite the fact I'd gone away to train and done a few TV jobs, I always went into the project with the mindset that everyone is on the same level. We're all doing this together. I was so astounded by how professional and lovely and great everyone was to work with.
Also, to have actors like Leanne Best, who I got really close with, was incredible. Just before series two she was on stage with The Hills of California, which has just gone to Broadway, directed by Sam Mendes! So to have people like her. Veterans. Take us under her wing, was wonderful.
Phil McGuinness who plays Mr Dunn, again, so inspiring to see the way he works, Particularly improvising. Ben Batt playing Disneyland Darren. Craige Els who plays Alan. Louis Emerick who plays the headmaster, Mr Meacher. And obviously Jemma Churchill who plays my grandma, Pat.
It was nice for all of us young fresh actors to not only have each other to lean on, but also these amazing mentors and older actors around us.
Do you have any memorable moments on set?
Series one, in particular, I remember really enjoying doing the scene where it's National Diversity Week where everyone has to pair up and give speeches. I remember Zak (Douglas) who plays Mo, going up with Evie (Ward-Drummond) who plays The Brimble, putting his head in his hands as she goes "If he's good enough for you, he's good enough for you" and seeing all the supporting artists, all of us, chanting along. All those bits where we're all together are really memorable.
Then also the scene where me and Reece have had a falling out and I basically stick up for him and get the projected pictures out. Doing that for real, in front of everyone, was great. I love that you're not just doing it to a few people, we were actually doing it for real in a room full of people.
Off stage, Dylan would serenade us with his guitar and we would all chip in. That was a highlight as well.
There is a big highlight that I would share from series two, involving a massive house party, but I can't really give anything else away. A little tease is that we all have very interesting costumes that you will see... soon!
We have to talk about The Vivienne. Who sadly passed away earlier this year. They're in the first episode of the new episode, playing themselves. What was it like working with them and what was it like when you found out the sad news?
They were honestly such a trailblazer. So down to earth and lovely to work with. I'd never seen their series of Drag Race, I'd only ever seen clips. But right from when we met them on set, they were just so welcoming. I didn't know that they were a fan of the show and that's why they really wanted to be on it.
In the episode, The Vivienne's working as a maître d' of this drag club, where they bring Dom's character, Ted, up on stage to do stand-up. Watching them both, especially the way Dom (Murphy) worked with The Vivienne and how they worked together, they had such amazing chemistry. It was such a privilege to be there, especially with all the boys to watch it.
The news of their passing really hit us all hard, because it was so unexpected and so sad. I'm glad that their family gave their blessings for the episode to come out and for us to honour their memory. We're going to miss them. We're going to miss them a lot.
We're talking about series two today, but already we know that you've been handed a third series. That's incredibly rare in television. How did that news make you feel?
Yeah, it's so rare. When they announced it, Danny and Mario got us on a Zoom, mid-2024 and Danny pulled a Simon Cowell on us and went "Look guys, everything's getting cancelled on TV nowadays. The landscape's really precarious. So I'm really sorry, but we're not going to get a series two." - Then all of our faces dropped. And he went "We're going to get series two and series three!"
I remember jumping up and down and just screaming. It was such a nice surprise. It just goes to show. The most important thing for us was that, obviously people around the UK loved it, but also particularly those in Liverpool. We wanted them to feel represented. And filming series two we really felt the love from the people of Liverpool. From some as young as 12 to some in their seventies, coming up to us and saying how much they loved it.
We'll film series three in the summer and I can't wait!
Alongside G'Wed, you're also currently starring in BBC One's new drama Miss Austen. Who do you play in that?
I play Frank Austen, who is Jane and Cassie's younger brother, who worked as a Naval Officer and has come back to visit. I play a small role in it and the way the story works is it's two timelines working concurrently. It's Cassie, played by Keeley Hawes, looking back over her relationship with her sister Jane. And the series delves into all of those mysterious letters and what they meant for their relationship.
Frank's presence in the show, a lot of my scenes were with Patsy Ferran who plays Jane and Synnøve Karlsen who plays a young Cassie. They were just so lovely to be around on set. In all of those scenes, Frank's very much visiting and has a cheeky, upbeat presence. It was great to do something straight after G'Wed that tonally was so different.
You're still very early on in your career, but what have you learnt so far?
What I've learnt is that when I graduated, there's a tendency to be pigeon-holed or people directing you into one type of role. And that is true to some extent. You are going to be put into certain roles determined by how you look and how you come across.
But so far I've been lucky that I've played a Bullingdon Club-esque psychopath in Endeavour, to playing a sweet, earnest, nervous character in G'Wed to playing a more open and charming Naval Officer in Miss Austen. And all of that has taught me that I'm really interested in broadening my range and playing roles that people might not expect me to play.
I'd love to play a role in different genres. I'd love to do a romantic comedy folllowed by a much darker role.
Talking about darker roles, tell me about Cold Mind.
Cold Mind was a pilot we filmed in the Algarve. It's a crime thriller about this character who invents a form of an AI chatbot which chats to people going through really difficult times.
My character Scott, is in a pit of despair and hasstarted chatting to this chatbot, but he doesn't know it's AI, he thinks it's a real person. And this AI chatbot is trying to calm him down because he's starting to grow a fascination with hurting other people, particularly women who he thinks are ignoring him and he thinks he has a right to be with. He then falls into more incel, predatory tendancies.
The whole show is about the dangers of AI as well as a serial killing investigation that's going on in the Algarve. I've seen the pilot and I know they've got plans to make a whole series. Honestly, the story bible from the team on Cold Mind was just so fascinating. Again, was great to play a role I'd never got the chance to play before.
And finally, what have you been enjoying on television recently?
I loved watching The Traitors. We've had X Factor and we've got the dating shows, but this is just so thrilling. It's event TV where everyone is talking about it and speculating. Everyone's so fascinating to watch because they're all just ordinary people, not looking for fame. THey're just playing a game and I love the drama of it. It's easy to judge it and be cynical about how emotional they get, but it must just be so different when you're in the game. It's all consuming.
Also, a show I loved that I've been badgering everyone to watch, is Severance. I'm obsessed. It's incredible. Just from the concept. The elevator pitch. It hooks you in. The idea of splitting your work life and your personal life. In terms of genre, it's part comedy, part office thriller, part slash horror, but it's also really specific and I think that's whty the show has done so well.
They haven't felt the need to broaden their appeal. Sometimes, if you try and broaden your appeal, it does the opposite. But if you've got a specific vision and you're unapologetic with it, people will find the show.
Seeing someone like Adam Scott who I'd only seen in Step Brothers and Parks and Rec, even though he'd done drama before, from what I'd seen him in, I'd only ever seen him do comedy so I watch him in this and I was so inspired. By everyone in that show, but especially him. And that's what I see for my career. Being able to jump into completely different projects.
G'Wed returns Thursdays at 10.05pm on ITV2 and all episodes are available now on ITVX