Comedy-news alert: “Dance your way through the medical chart,” indeed
The BBC has just green-lit a one-off comedy-drama titled But When We Dance — and yes, the headline is exactly what you think: real laughs, real heart, and real life all wrapped into one 90-minute film.
Here’s the deal: Oscar-winning director John Madden (yes, the Shakespeare in Love guy) is behind the camera, while the cast features the ever-elegant Laura Linney and the wonderfully eccentric Rhys Ifans. They’re playing Emma Dretzin — a pianist, composer, and single mum of two — and Tony Evans, a deputy head at a primary school. On one strangely synchronised morning, both are given a Parkinson’s diagnosis. Yep. Parkinson’s. Same morning.
The story comes from writer Paul Mayhew-Archer, who actually lives with Parkinson’s himself. He was diagnosed in 2011 and decided that if he can’t beat it, he’ll make art (and jokes) out of it. In his own words:
“So, thank you Parkinson’s. My fingers may fumble, my mouth may mumble and each step I take may result in a stumble. But I cannot grumble.”
And yes, there is dancing (or at least the idea of it) involved — the BBC teases a story of “a great sense of humour, a love of dance, and Parkinson’s.”
Why this matters — besides being a bold genre-mash-up of “life throws you a curve-ball” meets “let’s swivel on it anyway”:
It’s authentic — Mayhew-Archer’s own lived experience gives it real emotional weight.
It’s tonally daring — comedy, drama, and illness in one story is no small feat, but Linney and Ifans can absolutely pull it off.
It’s uplifting — the emphasis seems to be on humour, resilience, and connection rather than despair.
Filming is underway in North Norfolk, a backdrop that promises English charm against the inner turbulence of diagnosis. There’s no confirmed broadcast date yet, but it’s expected to premiere on BBC One as a single 90-minute special.
In short: If you’ve ever wondered what happens when two strangers share a diagnosis and decide to dance through it — literally — But When We Dance might just become the most unexpectedly joyful TV moment of the year.
So, bring your tissues and your tap shoes. Because this might be the first Parkinson’s drama that leaves you smiling through the tears.