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"Lip Service" gets a cast and a spring premiere date

Heather Hogan

When Harriet Braun pitched Lip Service to BBC, she promised it would be funnier and more authentic than The L Word, and now she's going to get the chance to prove it. The lesbian-centric tragi-comedy received a green light from BBC in September, and it has already begun filming.

Ruta Gesamintas will play Frankie.

The six-part mini-series will revolve around Frankie (Ruta Gedmintas), Cat (Laura Fraser) and Tess (Fiona Button), three lesbians who live (and, presumably, laugh and love and breathe and fight and f--k and cry and drink) in Glasgow.

According to BBC's press release:

Frankie [is] an irreverent and provocative photographer who avoids commitment at all turns; Cat [is] Frankie's former lover, who may not be as immune to Frankie's charms as she professes to be; and Tess [is] Cat's best friend and flatmate who has an uncanny knack of attracting all the wrong sorts of women.

Laura Fraser (left) will play Cat. Fiona Button (right) will play Tess.

Ruta Gedmintas has been a recurring character in a few BBC TV shows, but you may remember her as Catherine's handmaiden/Henry VIII's mistress from season one of Showtime's The Tudors. Laura Fraser has done her time in period pieces as well. She was the sexy blacksmith who saved Heath Ledger repeatedly in A Knight's Tale, and she played Henriette in Casanova. Fiona Button may be the least recognizable name, at least to American television viewers. She played Lucy Bedford in the UK drama, The Palace, and she's been making much-lauded rounds on the theater circuit in Britain for quite some time.

The supporting female roles went to Heather Peace, who has played a variety of bad-asses on British TV, and Roxanne McKee, who you might remember from the super gay soap Hollyoaks.

Heather Peace (left) will play Sam. Roxanne McKee (right) will play Lou.

Lip Service writer/creator Harriet Braun said of her leading ladies, "All of these characters are very close to my heart, so to have found such a great cast who bring them to life so fantastically is very exciting."

The series has started filming in Glasgow, and the early buzz from producers — "a completely fresh and engaging take on contemporary relationships;" "all passion and absurdity;" "a very vivid and authentic look at the lives and loves of modern British gay women" — is encouraging.

Lip Service will premiere on BBC3 next spring, and we'll keep you posted as more information becomes available!

Are you excited about Britain's answer to The L Word?

Heather Hogan's blog

Submitted by

Heather Hogan

on October 21, 2009 - 5:00pm.

TAGS ::

Lesbians + Scottish accents?

Submitted by

Kaisa (64 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:11pm.

Lesbians + Scottish accents? Count me in! Plus, Laura Fraser is hot...so hot that I actually sat through Nina's Heavenly Delights, which was definitely a challenge.

The title of the show is about as inspired as "The L Word"...I really hope the similarities end there.

The Blacksmith

Submitted by

Dorothy Snarker (1865 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:16pm.

I always loved the blacksmith in A Knight's Tale. She was so spunky. Yay for gay ladies in the UK. May none of them venture near a pool anytime soon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why I Don't Sleep Much: Dorothy Surrenders. Also, I'm an utter twit.

Laura Fraser

Submitted by

Anonymous

on October 21, 2009 - 9:16pm.

This woman is hot hot hot!! Scottish accents are so sexy. Can't wait!

I still can't believe we'll be seeing these women making out with each other!

'all passion and absurdity'

Submitted by

Anonymous

on October 21, 2009 - 5:35pm.

Sounds just like TLW, doesn't it...?! I guess it could be fun, though the fact that this series will be shown on BBC3 makes me sceptical.

Btw, didn't Laura Fraser play Nina's gf in Nina's Havenly Delights?

How long do you reckon it'll be before they get someone to say the word 'murrrderrr', Helen Stewart/Taggart-stylee :o)

Yep

Submitted by

monica_ca (750 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 6:45pm.

Laura Fraser was in Nina's Heavenly Delights...not sure what that isn't getting mentioned in all the press I've heard about it. It's actually the only thing that she's been in that I immediately recognised her from.

Ditto! I saw her and was

Submitted by

Tea&Toast (598 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 5:34am.

Ditto! I saw her and was like, she made out with Shelley Conn! Loved her in NHD, and this show actually looked decent up until I saw the name "Roxanne McKee". Really not a fan of hers. I'll still watch though, I tend to be a sucker for the majority of things on BBC3 anyway, so a lesbian centred show on BBC3 sounds good to me :)

______
I Tweet therefore I am; http://twitter.com/RainbowPleb

HEATHER PEACE

Submitted by

Charlieandjoeylove (10 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:24pm.

Heather Peace in it YAY!!!! loved her in ultimate force!!!!!

BOM CHICKA WAH WAH!

A British L word....

Submitted by

Emuh (368 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:26pm.

...not likly if its being loacted in Glasgow...

sorry Scots but you have to admit it Glasgow...L A no contest...rather than going for the famous Planet dessert and shopping and Fred Segal these girls are more likely to get a pair of nikes and a battered mars bar before they drink 10 pints of Stella and get into a fight over who hates the English more....

this program kind of depresses me already

"I can not speak to you my lips are fussed where an arch-angel kissed them"

Hey Sister watch what you say.....

Submitted by

solesister (126 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:46pm.

....and don't believe everything your read in the gutter press about Glasgow - the ladies are lovely up here......

I could mention many English towns and cities where the ladies wear short skirts, high heels or Nikes and fall about after drinking, bottles of wine, 10 pints of Stella and get into a fights......

You have a bottle of beer in your picture - say it all really.....

I'm not trying to offend anyone

Submitted by

Emuh (368 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 7:11pm.

I was merely comparing Glasgow to LA and speaking from personally experiances up there

and I'm actually irish so your comment has no bearing really

and I'd like to point out my beer is corona NOT wife beater

"I can not speak to you my lips are fussed where an arch-angel kissed them"

Remember

Submitted by

Anonymous

on October 21, 2009 - 8:57pm.

The majority of The L Word was filmed in Canada.

Hollywood North

Submitted by

FOJOLICIOUS (147 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 9:25pm.

Vancouver is hardly LA, lol ;)

A lot of US shows and movies are shot up here in Canada, hence the nickname "Hollywood North".

Neat to recognise Canadian things or places in the background.

The "G" Word

Submitted by

Canuckgrrl (184 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 9:51pm.

Call me crazy, but I would totally watch the show you're describing - if it was an Ilene-free zone...

OMFJCMJLOG!!!!!!! i AM

Submitted by

Georgie the Fem... (334 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:28pm.

OMFJCMJLOG!!!!!!!

i AM SOO EXCITED. Plus Louise from Hollyoaks, what a hotty...although I do hope her acting skills improve. Seriously, this has probably just made my week. Maybe even month...I dont get out much.

Wow it may well be the British L Word.....hotties or what ?

Submitted by

solesister (126 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:39pm.

I looking forward to this as a weegie - living in Glasgow - i may well have a wee party the night it first airs on TV with all my sisters.

Also looking forward to AfterEllen comments after each episode, much like L Word. It nice to see something like this happening on my doorstep.

Great looking cast - lets hope the acting lives up to it too and they get the accent right - i wait with anticipation and excitement

Oi!

Submitted by

Corinna (55 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:40pm.

Don't slag off Glasgow, it's an amazing city! It's going to be really interesting, I can't wait :)

OMGEEE

Submitted by

Jodielee3 (64 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:44pm.

Roxanne McKee = hell yeah!! I stopped watching 'Oaks when she left... [apart from the Sarah/Lydia/Zoe thing] I always found her incredibly sexy - I do hope she plays gay in this... oh how much fun!!

I am oh so excited for this! Finally something for me to watch on my actual TV instead of on the internet. Yeeeeehaawwww. Go UK!!! :D

WOW Roxanne McKee is

Submitted by

Lauren (507 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:45pm.

WOW Roxanne McKee is freakin' gorgeous. I hope this is good, I'd love for my home countries attempt to be better than The L Word. Hopefully it's racier than TLW too - compare Sugar Rush to South of Nowhere and you'll know what I mean!

Us Brits always take it that step further ;)

Go here for my view on all things lesbian: http://allthingslesbeau.blogspot.com

Lip Service

Submitted by

Angela (137 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 5:47pm.

it seems like its going to be a great show with hot actresses..i'll tune in :)

I remember Ruta Gedmintas

Submitted by

Viorica (37 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 6:03pm.

Back when I thought that "The Tudors" might actually be good (it wasn't) I watched the first season. All I remember about her is that she constantly looked on the verge of tears. It got old really fast. Still, Laura Fraser's cute.

______________________________________________________

"The state does not belong in the bedrooms of the nation"- Pierre Trudeau

yay good cast!

Submitted by

Sophie (9 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 6:11pm.

I loved Ruta Gedmintas in Spooks: Code (even though the show was a bit crap) and Laura Fraser is brilliant! Hoping they won't waste the cast on a terrible show though...

Roxanne McKee!!

Submitted by

BritishLily (389 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 6:20pm.

As soon as I saw Roxanne McKee was going to be a part of this I was like YEEESSSS!! She's hot!! I never really watched her in Hollyoaks but she's quite well known here in the UK so I'm quite surprised she's doing this to be honest, but I'm not complaining! If no one knows who she is, watch her in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfgFhAYLG_A HOT!!

Anywayz now I've got that out the way lol, I so can't wait for this to start next year, what with this and Skins series 4, that's gonna be a whole TWO British tv shows with lesbians on! :-)

Well the actresses are all

Submitted by

eve_jig_it (681 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 6:28pm.

Well the actresses are all good, ..can’t see any obvious duds.. (though will reserve comment on the Hollyoakes actress as my opinion of the acting on that show has met my disappointment on frequent occasions when I have randomly watched it).

I doubt this will be anything like the L Word, not just because of the setting but because of the humour factor as well. And by the description of "lesbian-centric tragi-comedy" I wonder if this production will actually be more an answer to 'Sugar Rush' rather the L Word.. (which I wouldn't object to).

I think it will be nice to watch something set in Glasgow for a change! And I wonder if the English-accented actresses will take on Scottish accents, or just remain with their own. I think this whole production will be interesting to follow, whether car-crash or triumph. And I’m just thankful that there will be something ‘lezzy orientated’ for us to watch next year other than Skins, because as much as I like that show, something that isn’t teenage-themed would be good to see as a non teenager.

I'm excited! The cast all

Submitted by

Jazzie (6 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 6:30pm.

I'm excited! The cast all look very pretty, and I've never watched a show set in Glasgow before, so hopefully it'll be different to other shows out there. I'm just hoping it'll be a bit more realistic than the L Word was, but then having said that, they are showing it on BBC Three...

Laura Fraser yeah! Excellent news!

Submitted by

7Up (728 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 7:01pm.

Laura Fraser yeah!

I can't wait... um untill I can see the series here in the states... hmmm... how to see the episodes fast enough?!

I shall call on u thru a letter..to court u my dear..'s picture

cant wait

Submitted by

I shall call on... (101 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 7:43pm.

ill be youtubing this shite...ahah i cant wait...lezzies+accents = gold for me hahah..

"what do u get with two cheaters date each other?"

ans: the only conclusion i have come to is one of them will screw the other over..

"bloody hell women"

www.myspace.com/mr.fish89

Laura Fraser!!!!

Submitted by

Jordache1994 (393 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 8:00pm.

I was so hoping Laura Fraser would be cast in this, she is just great. I am really looking forward to this now.

I had a crush on Heather

Submitted by

milly4 (3 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 8:39pm.

I had a crush on Heather Peace years back, still think she's cute, and incidently she's also gay. Seen her around the scene a little. Wonder how many of the other cast members are gay?

I remember her now from "London's Burning"

Submitted by

Jordache1994 (393 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 9:26pm.

The name did not ring any bells with me, and I did not recognize her from the photo above, but yeah, she was hot in "London's Burning"

I'll watch. I avoid making

Submitted by

carmbridge (281 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 8:41pm.

I'll watch. I avoid making comparisons to the L Word, but I'm interested in all the lesbian action we can get

i definitely wanna watch

Submitted by

luv girlz a lot (11 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 9:01pm.

i definitely wanna watch this! luv drama lesbian, like TLW. n hopefully it's gonna be better than TLW.

Sounds interesting.

Submitted by

summer_sapphire (83 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 9:07pm.

Hmm I'll probably watch it... I mean, who would give up the chance of watching hot girls make out? :P PLUS, BRITISH ACCENTS = LOVEEEEE!

You mean Scottish Accents.

Submitted by

Jordache1994 (393 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 9:22pm.

You mean Scottish accents!

Accents

Submitted by

scorpio54 (191 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 7:25am.

A Scottish accent *is* a British accent. What it isn't is English.

The Scottish Jenny Equivalent

Submitted by

mousalope (32 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 9:47pm.

I hope she stays away from swimming pools. I don't want her kilt too.

Aww, I knew it!

Submitted by

BritishLily (389 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 11:02pm.

Just found out, Roxanne McKee is playing a straight girl! :-( http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/2691969/Lesbian-TV-show-Lip-Service-starts-filming-in-Glasgow.html

Awesome

Submitted by

Latrice (9 posts)

on October 21, 2009 - 11:19pm.

I'm very excited about this. It seems like it's gonna be a good show and I will definetly tune in to watch it. =)

Hmm...

Submitted by

LoveKats (42 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 12:08am.

So lets review.

Lesbians... Scottish/british accents... And possibly the sexiest thing Ive ever seen by the name of Ruta Gesamintas kissing girls...

Im sorry, what were we talking about? I can't hear my own thoughts over the repeating OMGOMGOMGs coming out of my mouth.

Hmm

Submitted by

oscartg (551 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 12:49am.

Well at least the cast look attractive, still won't be watching it though. TV shows with lesbians in them always end up having them killed or going crazy these days, so annoying.

I don't remember the Hollygoats woman, who did she play? Anyway isn't Heather Peace an out lesbian?

She was the bird the Warren

Submitted by

Hopeless_Savage (411 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 1:54am.

She was the bird the Warren killed. The one named Louise that they kept banging on about.

I'll give this show a go, but scottish accents :( They annoyed me enough when they popped up on Bad Girls. Now its a show full of them? Eghh.

Don't worry

Submitted by

oscartg (551 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 12:50pm.

None of the Scottish accents will be as bad as Al McKenzie, I doubt any of them will be doing an authentic Weegie accent.

haha as soon as i saw her

Submitted by

Linda (184 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 5:49am.

haha as soon as i saw her face i thought of Ninas heavenly delights. one of my fav lesbian movies. ill def be in to watch this one (if it plays in australia or online haha) shes adorable.

Just a point...

Submitted by

Eliza (4 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 5:53am.

Are any of these actresses actually Scottish? It's a pretty difficult accent to pull off and more often than not any attempt is comical rather than sexy.

I hope any attempts at the accent don't hinder their performances or become too distracting.

Laura Fraser...

Submitted by

GoldringI (71 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 1:16pm.

Not only Scottish, but actually Glaswegian.

Laura Fraser is Scottish but

Submitted by

oscartg (551 posts)

on October 23, 2009 - 12:55pm.

Laura Fraser is Scottish but I don't think they'll go for a full on Weegie accent and they'll probably just play them as English folk in Scotland.

I was just coming here to

Submitted by

BigRed (57 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 7:30am.

I was just coming here to talk about Roxanne McKee being in the cast because there's a photo of her kissing one of the other characters in today's Daily Star.

Who was she kissing?

Submitted by

Jordache1994 (393 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 9:32am.

Who was she kissing? I thought she was playing the token straight girl?

I don't have the article to

Submitted by

BigRed (57 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 9:52am.

I don't have the article to hand at the moment so i couldn't say but I've found this article about the show and it refers to her as 'playing a lipstick lesbian' in it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1222189/Hollyoaks-star-Roxa...

Sorry it's from the Daily Mail.

Lip Service

Submitted by

DORKiest (64 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 8:59am.

Sounds good.

Sweet. Love scottish,

Submitted by

Tweyelite (22 posts)

on October 22, 2009 - 8:59am.

Sweet. Love scottish, british, australian etc. tv shows and movies. I'm sure it's going to kick the L words ass, which wouldn't be that difficult considering how utterly BAD L word ended up becoming.

Also looking forward to watching Skins again.

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