Daisy May and Charlie Cooper rule out a This Country return – and reveal ghostly encounters

Daisy May and Charlie Cooper became well-known for creating and starring in the popular BBC Three sitcom, This Country, which was inspired by their childhood in a quiet village in Gloucestershire. Since then, Charlie has hosted Myth Country, a show exploring British folklore, and Daisy has co-written and starred in the acclaimed sitcom Am I Being Unreasonable?. She’s also appeared in the film The Personal History of David Copperfield alongside famous actors like Tilda Swinton and Dev Patel.

The Cooper family, known for the comedy series This Country, are back with a new six-episode show called NightWatch. They’re investigating haunted places, hoping to encounter ghosts. RT recently spoke with them about spooky experiences, their competitive sibling dynamic, and why they’ve decided not to make any more episodes of This Country.

Why did you want to make this new show together?

A lot of our time together in this country was just about having fun and making each other laugh. It’s been five years since then, and now we have five children between us, so it’s great to be in touch again.

DAISY MAY Is that what you say?

CHARLIE Oh, come on, as if you’re not flaky!

Oh, I was aware of that, but I didn’t realize you talked about it on the show! It’s funny, actually, because I haven’t even seen the episode yet. I moved on from BBC Three back in 2018, and you’re still working there!

C You’re so arrogant and vile.

Sorry if I upset anyone – I didn’t intend to cause a disagreement. I was just curious if Charlie was the main person who came up with the idea for the new show, and whether it was difficult to get Daisy involved?

He was really the one pushing the project forward, though it seems like he needed a partner because they wouldn’t have approved a show just for him. I’m currently working in the US, but I promised to return and assist him.

The great thing about this show is that it doesn’t require a script. The actress playing the character is incredibly lazy, and that’s what made it possible – she just had to show up, and even then, she complained the whole time.

No matter how accomplished or grown-up your sibling gets, you consistently lack respect for them.

Knowing someone since childhood means you’ve witnessed their most vulnerable and awkward experiences, and you’re privy to their deepest secrets.

Have you always been fascinated by ghosts?

My grandad shared this story with me when I was around eleven years old. He claimed to have seen a man dressed in medieval clothing who had a terrifying, eternally-damned look on his face. This figure walked into an alleyway and then vanished right into a wall. Because my grandad was a doctor and a trustworthy person, I always believed there might be something to the story.

We both remembered a time from our childhood in London when we didn’t have much money. We used to spend our time walking around and joining ghost tours.

Were you scared while filming this series?

C It did surprise me how scared I got. I thought she’d be more scared than me!

I packed some sleep aids, so I barely stayed awake during the trip. Surprisingly, the best part of staying in spooky old prisons and castles was getting a break from the kids. It was the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time.

It was nice to have a moment of peace without a crying baby. However, I’d quickly fall asleep, leaving me awake in the dark, listening to you snore.

D At least I wasn’t windy, unlike you.

Have you ever seen a ghost?

A few years ago, I was in the bedroom with my baby when I heard someone running in the next room. When I went to check, I saw a child wearing white gym shorts and no shoes. The strange thing was, the child didn’t have a head. It ran around the bed and then vanished. My son was watching it the whole time, so he saw it too.

My partner and I have noticed some strange things since moving into our new house. We’ve seen covers move on their own, heard unexplained knocking on the bedroom door, and one time, my partner and our five-year-old both claimed they heard a dog bark right in their ear! It’s clear something unusual is happening.

What about you, Charlie?

I don’t believe in a traditional heaven or hell, but I really hope there’s something more after this life. Honestly, the thought that everything just ends feels so bleak, and it would take away all the wonder and beauty I see in the world.

The most chilling story I’ve ever heard came from Martin Kemp. He was filming at an old house and saw what he thought was an extra—a woman dressed as a maid from the medieval period. He cheekily asked her about lunchtime, but she simply disappeared! It’s funny to think about being a ghost and your first encounter being with Martin Kemp—I wouldn’t want that to be my afterlife!

How would you like to spend your afterlife?

D I’d want to be in the Married at First Sight apartment block and get the gossip.

C I’d haunt my own home. I don’t leave my house much in real life so I can’t imagine

I’d leave in the afterlife, either.

You remind me more and more of Jim Carrey’s Scrooge each day – stingy, frail, and clearly burdened by regret.

You swap a lot of funny childhood stories in the series. Was it fun to reminisce?

D I don’t know. I think I need to see a therapist.

C We concluded that our dad is a covert narcissist. Every conversation led back to him.

He’s been in ‘This Country’ and ‘Mythic Quest,’ and you’ve mentioned he keeps requesting roles in your series. Is that still happening?

He’s completely lost it. He wrote a script about a buffet, and when I read it, I honestly thought my seven-year-old daughter had written it. I almost told her it wasn’t good enough!

It feels like, despite all your success, you haven’t really changed at all.

Honestly, we haven’t changed much, and that’s the surprising part. It’s not about being modest – we’ve just been lazy and haven’t really matured emotionally. We’re still living in Gloucestershire, doing the same old things. The only real difference is that we’re now financially better off.

Daisy, you’ve had what they call a “glow-up”. What do you think of her new look, Charlie?

C Yeah, if you’re happy.

D “If I’m happy?”

C What do you want me to say? Yeah, it’s great.

I feel like you don’t respect me. And how do you feel about my work on ‘Am I Being Unreasonable’?

C Why did you cast me as a Dutch psychic?

D Because Mum said you needed the money.

C Because she’s so utterly insecure, she has to bring me down to make herself feel better.

Did your relationship change during the filming of this series?

C I realised how much I missed you.

D I did, too, but not enough that I’ve bothered seeing you since we finished.

C It was nice catching up.

Saying ‘It was nice catching up’ feels too formal – it’s something you’d tell a doctor, not a family member. I wish you saw me as someone closer than that.

Look, as a movie fan, I’ve seen plenty of characters get lost in their own hype. But honestly, it’s so important to have someone who won’t let you. Someone who’ll just gently – or not so gently – remind you who you are and keep you grounded. You need that reality check, you really do.

Will you work together again — perhaps on another series of This Country?

We’re starting to develop a new, unscripted show. However, I won’t be able to reprise my role in ‘This Country’ because my appearance has changed – I’ve lost weight and had lip fillers. To maintain the character, we’d have to come up with a ridiculous explanation, like saying my character has a tapeworm and was stung by a bee.

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2025-10-20 23:41