But, though the comedian admits that going over upsetting moments from his past was “at times difficult”, he was careful to make sure it never overwhelmed him. The role of Jack is played by Dylan Llewellyn, the scene-stealing “wee English fella” James from Derry Girls, who Rooke gushes is “the perfect comic actor to play the part”. “You know? Because you don’t see me but you hear my voice narrating the story from a kind of knowing perspective,” he laughs. Aside from being a writer and executive producer on the series, Rooke likens his role to Mary Alice’s in Desperate Housewives. An amalgamation of Rooke’s past three theatre shows, Big Boys is a broadly autobiographical snapshot of his time at university following the death of his father, Laurie, when Rooke was 15. His new Channel 4 comedy Big Boys is no less personal. “Some people might think I’ve overdone it, but grief is the thing that has shaped my identity more than anything else in my life,” he says. The jokingly self-confessed “one trick pony” (actually a comedian, writer and mental health ambassador) has built a prolific career over the last seven years writing about his experiences with mental health and loss through his teens and early twenties - he’s now 27. I’m actually quite sick of myself at this point,” laughs Jack Rooke. New West End Company BRANDPOST | PAID CONTENT.Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation BRANDPOST | PAID CONTENT.
