90s sitcom star unrecognisable in Channel 4’s first look at new horror series Generation Z-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

The Royle Family star Sue Johnston is miles away from sitcom matriarch Barbara Royle in Channel 4’s horror-comedy series Generation Z.

Instead the 80-year-old British actor – who has also appeared in Coronation Street and Downton Abbey over the years – plays a zombie in the upcoming satire, as shown in the new trailer.

The synopsis reads: ‘Flesh-eating baby boomers get a taste for teenagers in Ben Wheatley’s darkly comic, outlandishly gory, zombie-horror satire.’

The show is set in the ‘grey, unassuming, forgotten’ fictional town of Dambury which becomes the breeding ground for the apocalypse when an army convoy overturns outside a care home and causes a zombie-making chemical leak.

The plot continues: ‘The OAPs, led by Cecily and Frank, played by Sue Johnston and Paul Bentall (The World’s End), escape the grasp of the army looking to contain their angry, violent, insatiable hunger for raw flesh.’

The unconventional trailer shows Sue’s character Cecily making a meal of peas and carrots, with pale skin and bloody eyes.

The dish seems entirely normal until the camera zooms out to show a severed human head as the centrepiece – ready for Cecily to tuck into.

The zombie satire, Generation Z, sees ‘OAPS’ go up against teens (Picture:Channel 4)

It is a far cry from her role as Barbara Royle in the hit BBC sitcom (Picture: BBC)

More recent fans may know her best as Denker from Downton Abbey (Picture: Nick Briggs)

The six-episode series also stars EastEnders legend Anita Dobson, Somewhere Boys’ Lewis Gribben and comedian Johnny Vegas.

Industry creative Ben – also behind Netflix’s Rebecca and Meg 2: The Trench – said in a statement: ‘It’s been amazing working on Generation Z with The Forge and Channel 4. It’s my first original series and a project very close to my heart.

‘I hope everyone loves it as much as we do.’

And Rebecca Holdsworth, commissioning editor at Channel 4, added: ‘Generation Z promises to have all of the unique visual flair and mischievous spirit that characterises Ben’s film work.

Other stars include Anita Dobson and Lewis Gribben (Picture: Channel 4)

‘It is in turn wickedly funny, deftly political, and delivers on the kind of eye-popping shocks and thrills that mean this is shaping up to be a zombie drama like no other.’

Sue recently made headlines after discovering an ironic connection with the actual royal family while appearing on ITV show, Ancestry earlier this month.

The Lancashire-born working-class actor found out she was related to King’s horse trainer, 3rd Baronet Sir Mark Prescott. 

And her high-flying links didn’t end there, with her later finding out Tory MP for Tottenham, William Prescott, is also a famous relative of hers.

The longtime screenstar has a close relationship with her onscreen husband Ricky Tomlinson and earlier this year she surprised him by strutting on stage during his show, Irish Annie’s, at Stockport Plaza.

The pair then spoke to the crowd about their memories from the set of The Royle Family and Brookside.

After the show Ricky gushed about the surprise reunion.

‘We have worked together for so many years and I love being in her company, so to see Sue make a surprise appearance in Irish Annie’s made the show even more special,’ he said, per the Manchester Evening News.

Generation Z will premiere on Channel 4 on Sunday, October 27.

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