Who are Diet of Worms?
Say hello to the Irish comedy troupe starring in Graham Linehan's new BBC Four sitcom The Walshes - by watching their best work on YouTube
There’s a good reason why the characters in new BBC Four sitcom The Walshes appear so natural – the creators have been honing their roles for years online. Comedy troupe Diet of Worms first brought the Walsh family to life as a YouTube series in 2010. Watch the videos below to see how the madcap Walshes came into being, plus discover some of Diet of Worms' more offbeat creations.
The Taste of Home: Christmas
Rowdy relatives, an awkward boyfriend, and a gift-wrapped puppy – welcome to the Walsh family Christmas. This web series of five “home videos”, set between 1987 and 1990, provided the inspiration for the sitcom. All the family are here, including Dad Tony and his dreadful party tricks.
The Taste of Home: You’ve Been Christened
It’s 1990 and the camcorder comes out again for the new baby’s christening. But the lure of £250 from You’ve Been Framed proves too strong, and the Walsh brothers can’t resist meddling in proceedings. Another demonstration of the group’s uncanny knack for mimicking dysfunctional family life.
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Dublin Stories: John and John
One of a series of Diet of Worms’ comic portraits of misfits and loners living around Dublin. After a chance meeting, two men called John Johnson forge a tight bond through their common struggles. The result is darkly funny and surprisingly poignant.
Dublin Stories: Cliona and Greg
Continuing their modern day update of Dubliners, Diet of Worms introduces us to Cliona and Greg, two James Joyce walking tour guides. Self-assured Greg’s ego gets a bruising when he’s up against timid Cliona in the Walkies Awards.
Adventures of the Puffincat
OK, this one’s a little strange. The troupe create their very own Soviet kids cartoon: the adventures of a bird-feline crossbreed called Puffincat. In the first episode, Puffincat bakes some delicious cakes. Expect dodgy hand-drawn sailors and accusations of capitalist greed.
