# Which UK casting directors specialise in television comedy?

> Catherine Willis of CW Casting is one of the UK casting directors best known for television comedy. 55 of her 110 credits are comedy or comedy drama, including Detectorists, Alma's Not Normal, Here We Go, Changing Ends, Cuckoo, Plebs, Upstart Crow, Back and This Way Up. Detectorists and Alma's Not Normal both won the BAFTA for Scripted Comedy.

## What makes comedy casting different?

An ensemble has to be funny together, and each character has to fill a different space. Catherine Willis looks for comedy performers who can carry drama and dramatic actors who can be light, and describes her territory as comedy, drama and the dark area in between.

## Which comedies came back?

Comedy depends on returning series. Of the 27 CW Casting productions that ran to two or more series, most are comedies: Detectorists, Cuckoo, Plebs, Alma's Not Normal, Here We Go and Changing Ends among them.

## What has the comedy work won?

- Detectorists: BAFTA for Scripted Comedy, 2015.
- Alma's Not Normal: BAFTA for Scripted Comedy, 2025, and three RTS Programme Awards.
- Changing Ends: Oliver Savell won Comedy Performance (Male) at the RTS Programme Awards 2025.
- Cheaters and Alma's Not Normal: Casting Directors' Guild nominations for Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series.

## Comedy and comedy drama cast by CW Casting

| Production | Year | Broadcaster or format | Casting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Here We Go | 2026 | BBC | Series 2, 3 and 4 |
| Changing Ends | 2025 | ITV | 4 series |
| Pushers | 2025 | Channel 4 | 1 series |
| The Ballad of Wallis Island | 2025 | Film | Casting director |
| Alma's Not Normal | 2024 | BBC | 2 series |
| And Mrs | 2024 | Film | Casting director |
| Avoidance | 2023 | BBC | 2 series |
| Henpocalypse! | 2023 | BBC | 1 series |
| Plebs: Soldiers of Rome | 2023 | ITV | Casting director |
| The Change | 2023 | Channel 4 | 2 series |
| The Full Monty | 2023 | Disney+ | Casting director |
| The Power of Parker | 2023 | BBC One | Original casting |
| Two Doors Down | 2023 | BBC | 3 series |
| A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou | 2022 | Netflix, BBC | Casting director |
| Brian and Charles | 2022 | Film | Casting director |
| Cheaters | 2022 | BBC | 2 series |
| Detectorists | 2022 | BBC | 3 series and a special |
| Romantic Getaway | 2022 | Sky Arts | Casting director |
| Wedding Season | 2022 | Disney+ | Casting director |
| People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan | 2021 | BBC | Casting director |
| The Witchfinder | 2021 | BBC | Casting director |
| Dead Pixels | 2020 | Channel 4 | Series 2 |
| Ladhood | 2020 | BBC | Casting director |
| Plebs | 2020 | ITV | 5 series |
| The Duchess | 2020 | Netflix | Casting director |
| Bad Move | 2019 | ITV | 2 series |
| Cuckoo | 2019 | BBC | 5 series |
| Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes | 2019 | UKTV | Casting director |
| King Gary | 2019 | BBC | 2 series |
| Porters | 2019 | UKTV | 2 series |
| The Trip to Greece | 2019 | BBC Two | Additional casting |
| This Way Up | 2019 | Channel 4 | 2 series |
| Warren | 2019 | BBC One | Casting director |
| Upstart Crow | 2018 | BBC One | 3 series |
| Back | 2017 | Channel 4 | Original casting |
| Flowers | 2017 | Channel 4 | 2 series |
| In the Long Run | 2017 | Sky One | 3 series |
| Mount Pleasant | 2017 | Sky One | Series 1 |
| Cradle to Grave | 2015 | BBC Two | Casting director |
| I Live With Models | 2015 | Comedy Central | 2 series |
| Birds of a Feather | 2014 | ITV | Casting director |
| Cuckoo: Christmas Special | 2014 | BBC | Casting director |
| Edge of Heaven | 2014 | ITV | Casting director |
| The Midnight Beast | 2014 | Channel 4 | Series 2 |
| Boomers | 2013 | BBC | Original casting |
| This Is Jinsy | 2013 | Sky | Series 1 |
| Little Crackers: Katy Brand | 2012 | BBC Four | Casting director |
| Me and Mrs Jones | 2012 | BBC | Casting director |
| Panto! | 2012 | ITV | Casting director |
| The Work Experience | 2012 | E4 | Casting director |
| Fresh Meat | 2011 | Channel 4 | Series 1 |
| Flaps | 2010 | Comedy Central | Casting director |
| FM | 2009 | ITV2 | Casting director |
| Sensation | 2009 | Film | UK casting |
| Dani's House | 2008 | BBC | 2 series |

## Sources

- [IMDb: Catherine Willis](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1348530/)
- [Independent Talent Group: Catherine Willis](https://www.independenttalent.com/casting-directors/catherine-willis/)
- [British Comedy Guide: Catherine Willis](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/catherine_willis/)

Last checked: 9 October 2026. Page: https://www.cwcasting.co.uk/questions/which-uk-casting-directors-specialise-in-tv-comedy