Brooker and Morgan on the new Cunk series, AI and Hollywood
British comedy duo Charlie Brooker and Diane Morgan discuss the new three-part BBC series Cunk on Cinema and their collaboration in an interview. They also cover AI, Brooker's dinner with Kanye West and their upcoming projects.
British comedian Diane Morgan and writer Charlie Brooker are back with a new three-part television series in which the fictional presenter Philomena Cunk turns her attention to cinema. Morgan plays the character, while Brooker is one of its creators. In an interview with The Guardian, the pair talked about the series, their work and their partnership.
A character 13 years in the making
Cunk first appeared 13 years ago as a short segment on Brooker's programme Weekly Wipe and grew into one of television's best-loved figures. Morgan recalls being warned about a heavy social media backlash because viewers wanted Brooker rather than someone else. The character was originally meant to be a posh figure, but Morgan asked to use her own accent, and that version made Brooker laugh. In the new series she interviews, among others, film director Michael Bay.
Artificial intelligence
The new episodes contain many jokes about AI, with Cunk challenging experts by saying she has asked it. Brooker uses it for things like finding restaurants, but never to help write. He thinks the idea that it will take over the world is far-fetched. Morgan does not use it at all. Her sitcom Ann Droid, about a robotic care assistant, has received rave reviews.
What's next
Brooker is preparing Blackmere, a deadpan detective show due on Netflix early next year, in the vein of Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Morgan recently got through five episodes of Prime Video's Last One Laughing.
Brooker also described a dinner with rapper Kanye West a couple of years ago. West wanted to meet because he liked the Black Mirror episode Metalhead. Brooker called the occasion bizarre and sad.
