James Nesbitt Moves Into the BBC’s ‘Hopley Hall’
'Hopley Hall' is a workplace comedy set in a place that was never meant to be one.
Production is finally getting underway for Hopley Hall, the latest Northern Ireland-set sitcom from the BBC and BBC Northern Ireland. The two networks co-commissioned the series and included it in the commissions announced at the 2026 Liverpool Comedy Festival. Initially a vehicle for Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, who also recently starred in the BBC NI feel-good series, Leonard & Hungry Paul, she’s officially gained a co-star who matches her level of fame, with Irish actor James Nesbitt joining the series.
Technically, “Hopley Hall” is the name of the Great House in the series, and all signs point to the building being a character in the show, much like Highclere Castle in Downton Abbey. However, this is not about a family trying to keep the place from falling into rack-and-ruin; it’s far too late for that. The family is long gone, and the house now belongs to the local government. Staffed with locals who wish people took it more seriously as a tourist attraction, this is a workplace comedy set in a place that was never meant to be one.
Nesbitt was the biggest name in the announcement, with the rest of the cast mostly drawn from local Northern Irish talent. However, in the press release, he praised the series and the BBC’s commitment to filming in and around County Antrim. “To be going back to the coast of Antrim, where my mother grew up and where I spent much of my childhood, is an absolute treat,” said Nesbitt. “Hopley Hall is an innovative and funny series that will show off the beauty of Northern Ireland. The scripts have a uniquely Northern Irish sense of humor running through them, and I’m looking forward to working alongside some truly great local talent.”
Here’s the new series synopsis:
At Hopley Hall, the heating rarely works, the history is questionable, and the gift shop sells mostly tea towels. The Grade A listed masterpiece, located in a fictional town on the Coast of County Antrim, is held together by damp, optimism, and a deep-seated resentment for the tourist attraction down the road. We follow the team of eccentric, dysfunctional volunteers and staff, including a freshly appointed community engagement officer who struggles to deal with actual human beings, an over-enthusiastic guide with no sense of irony, and a disgruntled gardener. Hopley Hall is a workplace comedy about people who have absolutely nothing in common, except the desperate, daily struggle to keep the roof on and the public out of the private toilets.
O’Donnell (Derry Girls) and Nesbitt (Run Away) are joined by an ensemble that includes Georgie Glen (Call The Midwife), James Martin (How To Get To Heaven From Belfast), Leela Harris (Youth), Tommy Belshaw (Close To Home) and Jeany Spark (Wallander).
Daniel Peak (Horrible Histories) created and wrote all six episodes, with additional material from Oisin Kearney, Michael McCullagh, Shannon Welby, Susannah McKenna-Strathern, Eileen Tracey, Caitlin Magnall-Kearns, and the late Michael Patrick. Director Tom Marshall (The Cleaner) will helm all installments, with Chris Martin producing. Chris Jones executive produces for Nice One, with Phil Temple for Birdie Pictures.
Hopley Hall is currently filming in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is expected to debut on the BBC in 2027. The series does not yet have an American distributor.
