90s sitcom star unrecognizable in new Channel 4 horror series

Royle Family star Sue Johnston is miles away from sitcom matriarch Barbara Royle in Channel 4’s horror comedy series Generation Z.

Instead, the 80-year-old British actor, who has also appeared in Coronation Street and Downton Abbey over the years, plays a zombie in the upcoming satire, as shown in the new trailer.

The synopsis reads: “Meat-eating baby boomers get a taste for teenagers in Ben Wheatley’s darkly comic, flamboyantly gory zombie-horror satire.”

The show is set in the fictional “grey, unassuming and forgotten” town of Dambury, which becomes a breeding ground for apocalypse when an army convoy overturns outside a care home and causes a leak of chemicals that causes zombies.

The plot continues: “The OAPs, led by Cecily and Frank, played by Sue Johnston and Paul Bentall (The World’s End), escape the clutches of the army seeking to contain their furious, violent and insatiable hunger for flesh raw”.

The unconventional trailer shows Sue’s character Cecily eating a meal of peas and carrots, with pale skin and bloodshot eyes.

The dish looks perfectly normal until the camera pans out to reveal a severed human head as the centerpiece, ready for Cecily to enter.

The six-episode series also stars EastEnders legend Anita Dobson, Somewhere Boys’ Lewis Gribben and comedian Johnny Vegas.

Industry creative Ben, also behind Netflix’s Rebecca and Meg 2: The Trench, said in a statement: “It’s been amazing working on Generation Z with The Forge and Channel 4. It’s my first original series and a project very close to my heart

“I hope everyone loves it as much as we do.”

And Channel 4 Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Holdsworth added: “Gen Z promises to have all the unique visual style and mischievous spirit that characterizes Ben’s film work.

“At the same time, it’s wickedly funny, politically astute and delivers the kind of surprise and thrills that make this a zombie drama like no other.”

Sue recently hit the headlines after discovering an ironic connection to the real royal family while appearing on ITV show Ancestry earlier this month.

The Lancashire-born working-class actor discovered she was related to the King’s horse trainer, the 3rd Baronet Sir Mark Prescott.

And her high-flying links didn’t end there, she later discovered that Tory MP for Tottenham, William Prescott, is also a famous relative of hers.

The long-time screen star has a close relationship with on-screen husband Ricky Tomlinson and earlier this year she surprised him on stage during his Irish Annie’s show at Stockport Plaza.

Afterwards, the pair spoke to the crowd about their memories from the set of The Royle Family and Brookside.

After the show, Ricky talked about the surprise reunion.

“We’ve worked together for so many years and I love being in her company, so to see Sue make a surprise appearance at Irish Annie’s made the show even more special,” he said, per the Manchester Evening News.

Generation Z will premiere on Channel 4 on Sunday 27 October.

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