Changing Ends

There are two shows that this Alan Carr effort really remind me of.

This is a 1980s version of two 1970s classics. The Dudley based Grimleys that starred Amanda Holden, Brian Conley, James Bradshaw and the real star turn, Noddy Holder. Then there was the much too short lived and brilliant Cradle to Grave. Difficult to look past the tour de force that was Peter Kay, utter genius in C2G (ably abetted by the fantastic Lucy Speed).

Hopefully Changing ends gets a longer run than Cradle to Grave which was criminally short at 6 episodes.

We've obviously moved far enough away from the 1980s to be able to eulogise it in the way that Ashes to Ashes etc. Did for the 1970s.

Carr's personal intrusions are well timed and well written, particularly the Prince / George Michael gag (Too soon?)

There are little lines like "Touch my Blue Nun and you're out" which will resonate with anyone born late 1960s hitting the full force of 1980s UK naffness at the Beefeater with Prawn Cocktail and Black Forest Gateau.

The star of it all, Oliver Savell, does an excellent job portraying the young Carr and hopefully he will have the career he wants from this like Laurie Kynaston and James Bradshaw before him.

The soundtrack is excellent too. So all in all an excellent first series that doesn't drag or outstay its welcome. Here is to more...It would be good to take this to sixth form. So at least 3 more series please.

Extreamly Funny A lot of what i can relate to. Even though i am srait but in school i was extreamly feminate hated football and PE was made to do it .I remember one day getting onto my desk and doing impressions of animals to get laughs out of my class mates who where Bullies .But it worked It never made me popular but for that brief moment i had my class doubled with laughter .Its still made me no friends apart from one or two .. But i found having a sence of humer and using it gained me an advantage ,our school never had a drama class..We need more of this 26+27 mins is too short it needs more episodes like young sheldon 14+18 episodes not 6 could have watched more ..so Alan if you see this well done.

Initially watched this for some real 80s nostalgia and this didn't disappoint. This soon became secondary to the absolutely phenomenal acting. This was a binge watch from the start, casting and acting is on another level mix this with a hilarious and sometimes sad story.

This really is a hidden gem and provides an insight into an amazing man. It's clear that Alan was always destined to be a star and I'm honoured that he shared his story with us and I'm sure he is proud of the amazing actors that brought his story to life.

The only problem is six episodes.. we need more.. I hope season two is coming soon and up the cobblers!

Even if you don't like Alan Carr, it's likely you will like this very funny, on point sitcom with the stand up comedian taking us through semi-autobiographical moments in his life.

We see young Alan on his first day at school, being unexpectedly put on the football team (hilarious) faking sickness to avoid an injection (which leads to awkward but very believable bonding with dad) and all manor of japes that keep the audience hooked.

Carr's relationship with his family and few friends are nicely explored without being heavy handed and the humour is kept at an even pace, carefully balanced with tender / low moments but not too many to descend into melodrama.

Co-written by Carr, this show knows how to keep your attention with ideal casting all round, but Oliver Savell as the young Alan deserves particular praise for his stand out, star making performance. It would have been very easy for him to fall into caricature but somehow Savell manages to blend Carr's friendly campness and mix it with the real fears of a young boy as he tries to navigate the impending, uncharted teen years without going over the top and keeping the comedy this side of believable and engaging.

Well done to everyone involved.

Now, when is the second season coming out?

Changing Ends is something of a nostalgic throwback on every level to a time when comedy was, well funny!

There have been many series set in an 80s childhood, and as I am the same age as Alan Carr I do enjoy this sort of thing. But this is funnier than Young Sheldon, perhaps less poignant but not without such moments.

The boy who plays young Alan steals the show however, he seems to be a genuine talent who might well go on to greater things. The rest of the cast, including Alan as his older self, are really just supporting actors. He hams it up a bit, just like the subject, but some scenes are almost tearful as well.

Of course there is an underlying theme of Alan fighting against, or maybe just shrugging off, prejudice, but mostly it is quite subtle, the script seems to assume intelligent viewers already understand what is going on, rather than having to spell it out to them as so many other series do these days.

Co-writer Simon Carlyle also writes 2 Doors Down, but this is his best yet. There isn't a high bar admittedly, but this is the best British comedy of 2023 so far.