Bookish legend’s role in acclaimed BBC comedy’s second season left creator “shocked”

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Mawaan Rizwan, the creator and star of the hit comedy ‘Juice’, has revealed his season two co-stars are people he’s long admired, calling them some of his favorite comedians. New episodes of the award-winning show are available today on BBC Three and iPlayer.

The show centers on Jamma (Rizwan) and Guy (Russell Tovey), a couple with a complicated relationship, as they try to figure out if they can make things work long-term.

That’s a bit of an oversimplification, though. Juice is famous for its bizarre and funny style, particularly its incredibly creative and unique sets and presentation – it really stands out from other shows.

Rizwan was surprised to learn that well-known comedic actors Mark Gatiss and Kevin Eldon had joined the show, especially considering its already good reputation. He shared this at the screening for the second season.

Rizwan shared, “Kevin is a comedy hero of mine, truly one of the best. I’ve always kept that to myself, though. I didn’t want to seem like I was putting him on a pedestal while we’re working together.”

I was really surprised Kevin and Mark Gatiss agreed to participate, considering they’ve already done so much work in the field, he added.

The comedian, who previously appeared on Taskmaster, shared his fondness for Eldon’s comedy series, *It’s Kevin*, which aired briefly on BBC Two. He’s also worked with several well-known comedic figures, including Steve Coogan, Chris Morris, Stewart Lee, and Julia Davis.

Juice watches as Eldon transforms into Mr. Majal, a secretive shopkeeper who presents Jamma with an opportunity for a fresh start. This new life could mend Jamma’s broken relationship with Guy, but it will come with a price.

Rizwan said it was “amazing” to see Eldon make the character his own.

It was incredible to witness! He was actively figuring out the character’s voice right before our eyes – he’d say something, then immediately reconsider and try a different approach. It all happened so fast; he had about a week to nail the performance and then he was off to another project. Watching him discover who this guy was in real time was truly something special.

“It was so cool to watch; my inner comedy fan was just freaking out.”

I was so excited to see Mark Gatiss pop up in a later episode of season two! I don’t want to give anything away, but knowing his work on *League of Gentlemen*, his appearance really adds to the creepy, unsettling vibe of the show, and I think fans of his previous work will absolutely love it.

Fans of the first season will notice Juice is even more quirky and unusual in this next installment. Rizwan says he and the team decided to really highlight the most imaginative and enjoyable parts of the show.

He explained that the process is costly and there isn’t an established way to handle it. Production teams can’t easily replicate it because there’s no existing model – they don’t have a go-to person to hire or know what resources are needed.

It’s challenging because I’m asking the team to achieve things that aren’t typically possible with British comedy funding – essentially starting from scratch in some areas. But the effort is worthwhile, and it’s those unique moments that audiences ultimately connect with and remember.

Rizwan also mentioned that the crew and production team particularly enjoyed and were enthusiastic about those specific moments.

Alongside Rizwan, the film features his actual brother, Nabhaan (playing Kaos), and their mother, as well as Jeff Mirza (known from Polite Society) and Emily Lloyd-Saini (from Code 404).

Juice seasons 1-2 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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2025-09-18 19:56