Comedy Showcase: Chickens (2011)

Joe Thomas (George), Simon Bird (Cecil) and Johnny (Bert) standing next to each other in front of a blue background staring at feathers

Joe Thomas (George), Simon Bird (Cecil) and Johnny (Bert) © Channel 4

A quirky British comedy like no other, Chickens follows the antics of three young men who are left at home while other British men are fighting the Great War.

Production Company: Big Talk Productions

Kent Filming Locations: Chilham 

Written by and starring Simon Bird, Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) & Jonny Sweet, Chickens tells the story of three young men who are at home in a sleepy English village while other British men are on foreign soil fighting the Great War.

Meet George, Cecil and Bert.  George is a conscientious objector. The army won’t have Cecil because of his flat feet.  Bert is a philandering scardicat, who’s on the run from the draft and insists on hanging around with them.

As far as the other villagers are concerned, they’re all the same : Chickens.

As the only twenty-something males in a world of women, children and the infirm, they have only each other for company.  Unsurprisingly they’re treated with contempt by the women in the village, but with every other man away they’re working hard to win over the ladies on the home front.

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham- three actresses walking along the street in costume in front of a tutor style house

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham © Kent Film Office

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham- camera crew filming on a driveway next to the garden

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham © Kent Film Office

Chickens is a sitcom about three young guys in a women’s world, not being useful, not being proper men, not contributing to their country – but trying to make the best of it, trying to be helpful, trying to enjoy themselves…and above all, trying not to be rubbish.

Some of the filming took place in Chilham which is a village in the Ashford borough of Kent and has a stunning fifteenth century square of black and white timbered buildings. Chilham has been the backdrop for many filming projects including  Emma (2009) and Miss Marple – The Moving Finger (2005).

Chickens was shown on Friday 2nd September 2011 on Channel 4 at 10.30pm.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.