Alma’s Not Normal is back for a second run on BBC

The pilot episode of Sophie Willan’s sitcom, which is loosely inspired by aspects of her own life, won her the BAFTA TV Craft Award for Best Writer: Comedy, and also picked up the Best Female Comedy Performance trophy at the 2022 ceremony. Now it’s back for a second run, and we can probably expect more plaudits to come her way.

For the uninitiated, Alma Nuthall is a working-class wannabe thirty-something actress from Bolton who left school without qualifications and spent some of her childhood in care due to her mother Lin’s heroin addiction. That might not sound like grounds for comedy, but the situations Alma and her nearest and dearest find themselves in, as well as the brilliant performances of the cast, find humour in the strangest of situations.

“Once I realised that the stories I needed to tell weren’t just about Alma or personal to me – they were political, philosophical and things we need to talk about – the story just flowed out of me,” says Sophie of her efforts to match the quality of the debut run, and she certainly hasn’t shied away from the issue of mental health, something she touched on first time around.

“Humour is about rage and optimism in my opinion, and the emotion of the story comes from a place of love and sadness. I believe if you’re able to tap into all these emotions and authentically tell the story with generosity and pragmatism, that’s what will come out. Also, Northerners have a natural gallows humour so it’s sort of innate.”

Sophie’s project is helped by the extraordinary cast she has around her, including a triumvirate of incredible female performers – Siobhan Finneran plays Alma’s mother Shiv, Lorraine Ashbourne takes the role of her eccentric grandmother Joan and Jayde Adams co-stars as her best friend Leanne.

“I am so lucky to work with three wonderful women who are all super talented and a joy to be around. With Shiv (Siobhan) and Lorraine, I’ve learnt so much from them, whilst also feeling so supported and respected as a writer. I’ve fallen in love with them both and adore being on set with them. We have a lot of laughs but they always give their whole selves to the project and the character, which I’m very grateful for.

“Jayde and I both came up together through stand-up and then Alma was both of our first big things really. So it has been wonderful to share that journey.”

As for the series as a whole, Sophie says she hopes “viewers come away with a deeper understanding of the challenges people face when institutions don’t support them, but also with an appreciation for Alma’s fight. She’s not giving up, and while she might not get everything she deserves, she’s still carving out space for herself and finding her own strength.

“That mix of frustration and hope is really at the heart of it.”

If you haven’t caught the show yet, check it out on the BBC iPlayer, where all episodes from both series are now available.