Romesh Ranganathan is heading up a new sitcom on BBC One, which focuses on a man with serious avoidance issues – hence the title, Avoidance.
Ranganathan’s Jonathan is so desperate to avoid difficult conversations, that rather than telling his son that his mum and dad are splitting up, he runs off with the young Spencer to hide out with his sister Danielle and her wife Courtney.
The series stars Jessica Knappett and Mandeep Dhillon alongside Ranganathan, who is also the sitcom’s co-creator.
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Avoidance on BBC One.
Romesh Ranganathan plays Jonathan
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Who is Jonathan? Jonathan is described as a “conflict-avoidant beta male”, who is so annoying to live with that his wife Claire leaves him. Forced to stay with his sister and her wife, he finds himself needing to sort out his own issues for the sake of his son.
Where have I seen Romesh Ranganathan before? Ranganathan is perhaps best-known for his entertainment and panel show appearances, including on Taskmaster, Have I Got News For You and A League of Their Own. He presents his own show The Ranganation of BBC Two, and has acted in King Gary, Staged and 2021’s Cinderella.
Jessica Knappett plays Claire
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Who is Claire? Claire is Jonathan’s wife who has now decided she’s leaving him. In comparison to Jonathan she’s not afraid to say what she thinks or how she feels, and although she’s not immune to bad decisions herself, she has a really good relationship with her son Spencer and wants to protect him.
Where have I seen Jessica Knappett before? Knappett is probably best-known for her roles in The Inbetweeners and Drifters, the latter of which she also created. She also recently appeared in the third season of Ghosts.
Mandeep Dhillon plays Danielle
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Who is Danielle? Danielle, also known as Dan, is Jonathan’s sister, who likes things to be in order. She’s married to Courtney, and Dhillon described her as a “very mature” character. She said: “Courtney is basically a teenager and Dan is the therapist mum. You can tell they have been together forever there is such a level of comfort between them.”
Where have I seen Mandeep Dhillon before? Dhillon is perhaps best known for working with Ricky Gervais on both David Brent: Life on the Road and After Life, but has also had roles in Doctor Who, Temple and Peacock. She also played Lieutenant Garan in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Lisa McGrillis plays Courtney
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Who is Courtney? Courtney is Danielle’s wife, unashamedly says exactly what she feels. She thinks Jonathan is pathetic and is perfectly happy to tell him that.
Where have I seen Lisa McGrillis before? McGrillis is best known for her role in the Lesley Manville starring series Mum, while she has also had roles in Death in Paradise, King Gary and No Offence. She recently appeared as a police officer in Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho.
Kieran Logendra plays Spencer
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Who is Spencer? Spencer is Jonathan and Claire’s son.
Where have I seen Kieran Logendra before? Other than TV adverts this is young actor Logendra’s first on-screen role.
Avoidance starts Friday 10th June at 9:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide and Drama hub.
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