Journey of REDISCOVERY

BRIDGET CHRISTIE on how her own experiences resulted in a new comedy

- TESS LAMACRAFT

THE CHANGE 
WEDNESDAY, 10PM & 10.35PM, C4 COMEDY (BOX SET, CHANNEL 4)

A 50-year-old menopausal mum-of-two embarks on an exciting mission to reclaim her own identity in C4’s star-spangled new comedy The Change.

Written by comedian Bridget Christie, the six-parter sees her play Linda, who becomes concerned that she has young-onset dementia – but her symptoms are, in fact, connected to the menopause.

‘Linda is stunned, but it spurs her into action and she decides that she’s going to take back control of her life!’ says Bridget, 51, as she joins TV Times for a chat.

Dusting off her old motorbike, Linda leaves behind her husband, Steve (Omid Djalili), and teenage kids as she heads off alone to the Forest of Dean in search of a time capsule she hid in a tree there as a child.

Along the way, she encounters an array of eccentric locals, including the straight-talking Eel Sisters Agnes and Carmel (Susan Lynch and Monica Dolan), angry DJ The Verderer (Jim Howick), life model Tony (Paul Whitehouse) and the mysterious Pig Man (Jerome Flynn). What could possibly go wrong?!

Here, Bridget tells us how her own life inspired the series…

You pull triple duty as creator, writer and actor on this show – how much do you relate to Linda?

Like Linda, I have two children, I ride a motorbike and I used to go to the Forest of Dean. And, like her, I also didn’t realise I was in the menopause!