Sue Johnston and Paul Ready star in Diane Morgan’s new AI sitcom

True Love star Sue Johnston and Motherland actor Paul Ready will star in Diane Morgan’s new BBC AI sitcom, it has been announced.

Filming has already started for the new comedy series, Ann Droid, which follows a friendship between Sue (Johnston) and Linda (Morgan), a humanoid robot created to keep elderly people company and monitor their health.

The six-part series – written by Morgan, best known for Cunk On Earth and Mandy, and Frayed’s Sarah Kendall – is set in 2029, 18 months after the death of Sue’s husband, David, and with her only son, Michael (Ready), preparing to move out again to try to fix his marriage.

In an attempt to help his mother live independently, he gets her an AnnDroid Eldercare Robot, which is described as “an overly attentive, socially inept pain in the arse”.

Despite this, Sue finds a way to use the droid to her benefit – by doing the things her son never gets round to do, with the pair developing a friendship along the way.

Johnston, known for The Royle Family and Brookside, said: “I’m thrilled to be back in the heart of BBC comedy. Diane and Sarah have created a comedy that will resonate with lots of different audiences, for different reasons and I cannot wait to get started.”

Ready, who co-starred along with Morgan in the hit comedy series Motherland, added: “I don’t know much, but I do know that if you get a chance to work with Diane Morgan, you take it. Immediately!

“Can’t wait to be reunited and bring Michael to life in her brilliant comic series.”

The series will be made by Boffola Pictures and Witchcraft Industries for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.