Scottish actors Ashley Jensen and Mark Bonnar have teamed up again in Rambling, a new television comedy currently filming in rural Scotland.
The project marks the second screen collaboration for both stars, who are both 57 years old. A promotional photograph released for the show features Bonnar, playing character Gerry, and Jensen, starring as Cat, smiling together during filming along the shoreline of a Scottish loch.
Written by Iain Connell and Sharon Young, the narrative centers on an unlikely pair of walking companions. Connell previously co-wrote and starred in the popular BBC Scotland sketch comedy Burnistoun, while Young serves as co-writer on the production.
The central tension between the leads arises from their contrasting personalities and motivations. Gerry is an exceptionally organized individual embarking on a journey to fulfill a promise made to his recently deceased brother, whereas Cat is a chaotic character seeking a fresh start after being ejected from a previous walking group.
Reunion and production details
Bonnar expressed enthusiasm for the script and his role, noting that he had not played a character like Gerry before.
"I’m so thrilled to be doing this beautifully written, very funny script by Iain and Sharon," the Edinburgh-born actor said. "I’ve never played someone quite like Gerry before and I can’t wait to get cracking. On top of that, to be reunited with the wonderful Ashley Jensen! Doesn’t get any better."
Jensen, who hails from Annan in Dumfriesshire, highlighted the emotional scope of the project, describing the script as being about loss, loneliness, and the human need for connection.
"Sharon and Ian’s script is about nothing and everything," Jensen said. "It’s smart, honest, poignant, moving and funny. It’s about loss, loneliness, and our need for connection."
She added that she was delighted to return to the BBC Comedy unit, where she began her career, to bring the special to life alongside Bonnar and the production crew while braving the Scottish weather elements.
Previous roles and screen history
The duo previously shared the screen in the acclaimed Channel 4 comedy series Catastrophe. In that show, they portrayed an unhappily married and subsequently divorced couple, with Bonnar starring as Chris and Jensen playing his wife Fran, delivering a hilariously toxic dynamic. Channel 4 is one of the United Kingdom's major public service broadcasters.
Jensen gained widespread recognition in 2005 when she starred opposite Ricky Gervais in the BBC comedy Extras. Her performance earned her two British Comedy Awards and a nomination for a British Academy Television Award (BAFTA).
Following her success in Extras, Jensen relocated to Los Angeles to join the cast of the hit American television series Ugly Betty. She later returned to UK television with roles in Catastrophe, Gervais's 2019 Netflix comedy series After Life, and the lead role in the BBC crime drama Shetland in 2022. Shetland is a long-running murder mystery series set across the Scottish archipelago.
Bonnar has established a prominent television career with key roles in major British television dramas. He portrayed Deputy Chief Constable Dryden in the second series of Line of Duty, the hit police corruption drama broadcast on the BBC.
His screen credits also include playing barrister Colin Osborne in the second series of ITV's crime drama Unforgotten, as well as lawyer Max McCall in the BBC Two dark comedy drama Guilt.
