Philomena Cunk Returns with "Cunk on Cinema"

Philomena Cunk, the satirical character portrayed by Diane Morgan, is set to return in a new mockumentary series titled "Cunk on Cinema." This three-part series, produced by Pacesetter Productions, will explore the history of cinema, airing on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two in the U.K. and on Netflix globally outside of the U.K. and Ireland. Following the success of previous installments like "Cunk on Britain," "Cunk on Earth," and "Cunk on Life," this series is described as Cunk's "most glamorous series to date."

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"Cunk on Cinema" will feature Cunk interviewing experts about various aspects of film history, including the invention of the camera, the French New Wave, the rise of CGI, and the implications of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. The series aims to blend comedic commentary with educational insights, offering viewers both humor and an unconventional perspective on two centuries of film history. Cunk's signature deadpan style will be on full display as she poses questions such as, "Where did cinema come from?" and "What does it want?"

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The series is written by Charlie Brooker, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Diane Morgan and Sam Ward. Al Campbell directs the series, with Jessica Rhoades as executive producer and Mark Kinsella as co-executive producer for Pacesetter Productions. The commissioning editor for the BBC is Navi Lamba. Jon Petrie, the BBC's Director of Comedy, expressed enthusiasm for the project, highlighting Cunk's role as an "intrepid documentary filmmaker" and the anticipation surrounding her exploration of cinema.

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Jon Petrie stated, "Philomena Cunk is back! As our leading intrepid documentary filmmaker, who better to investigate the world of cinema?" He acknowledged the series' continuation of the successful Cunk franchise and expressed eagerness for what Cunk will uncover this time. Diane Morgan remarked on cinema's profound impact, referencing iconic moments in film history, while Brooker humorously noted the current state of Hollywood as a fitting backdrop for the series.

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Currently in production, "Cunk on Cinema" is expected to debut later in 2026. The series promises to engage audiences with its unique blend of humor and insightful commentary on the evolution of cinema.

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• “Philomena Cunk is back! As our leading intrepid documentary filmmaker, who better to investigate the world of cinema? This series follows in the hugely successful footsteps of other Cunk projects, so we can’t wait to see what she unearths this time around. A huge thank you to the incredibly talented team at Pacesetter, Diane and Charlie for bringing Philomena back onto our screens.” — Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC

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• “Cinema has given the world some of the most profound, memorable and moving visual moments in its unswerving depiction of the human condition: the shower scene in ‘Psycho,’ Death playing chess in that Swedish thing, and Tom Selleck’s glistening moustache in ‘Three Men And A Little Lady,’ to name but all three of the only examples I can think of at the moment,” — Philomena Cunk

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• “Now that Sora has killed off Hollywood and itself (presumably as part of a murder-suicide pact), it’s the perfect time to look back at two hundred centuries of cinema, in the company of an idiot we’re apparently cursed to employ: Philomena Cunk.” — Charlie Brooker

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"Cunk on Cinema" is poised to continue the legacy of its predecessors, combining humor with a critical examination of film history.

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