Where To Watch Lee Mack & Chris McCausland’s Bad Tidings

Yesterday evening, Sky aired one of its many festive specials for the 2024 season, this time starring comedian Lee Mack alongside recent Strictly Come Dancing champion Chris McCausland. Here’s everything you missed in Bad Tidings, plus how to catch up.

What Happened In Lee Mack & Chris McCausland’s Bad Tidings?

Lee Mack as Neil & Chris McCausland as Scott in Bad Tidings. (©Sky UK Ltd)

The Plot

Set in the week ahead of Christmas, Bad Tidings centres on Neil (Lee Mack), a home security expert based in Stockport who is having problems with his very own neighbour. Scott (Chris McCausland) swaps their rubbish bins, complains about Neil’s ‘project’ car on his drive and keeps his Christmas lights shining all year round, specifically glaring into Neil’s home office. In short, Scott is a git. The catch? He’s also blind. The rest of the street thinks Scott is great, so when the rest of the neighbours try to make Scott the new head of Neighbourhood Watch, Neil just can’t stand it anymore.

Neil questions Scott’s suitability, and a tit for tat row ensues – causing Neil to accidentally blow up the power for the whole street. Everyone evacuates, including Neil’s wife and teenage daughter, leaving Neil and Scott alone on guard. In Home Alone style, infamous local crime family the Brennans seize the opportunity – they decide to rob the entire street – with only Neil and Scott around to stop them.

Bad Tidings Trailer

The Cast & Characters

• Chris McCausland as Scott
• Lee Mack as Neil
• Rebekah Staton as Stacey Brennan
• Sarah Alexander as Laura
• Ben Crompton as ‘Big’ Barry Brennan
• Emily Coates as Ashleigh Brennan
• Josiah Eloi as ‘Little’ Barry Brennan
• Millie Kiss as Chloe
• Tupele Dorgu as Sabrina
• Rich Keeble as Euan
• Sunil Patel as Raj
• Donna Preston as Sue

Rebekah Staton as Stacey Brennan & Ben Crompton as Big Barry Brennan & Emily Coates as Ashleigh Brennan & Josiah Eloi as Little Barry Brennan in Bad Tidings. (©Sky UK Ltd)

Where Was Bad Tidings Filmed?

Bad Tidings was filmed on a housing estate in Stapleford Abbots, Essex. Filming took place in April 2024, so locals were probably intrigued to see the festive lights shining already. Additional filming took place at Sky’s Elstree Film Studios in Hertfordshire.

Lee Mack as Neil & Sarah Alexander as Laura in Bad Tidings. (©Sky UK Ltd)

What Are The Reviews?

It’s middling reviews for Bad Tidings, garnering two to three stars out of five across the board. ‘Bad Tidings is stretched a bit thin – it is an hour’s worth of material at best spread over 90 minutes,’ Lucy Mangan writes in the Guardian. ‘It’s also underworked, especially when compared with the absolute treats we have had over the past couple of years […] But Bad Tidings has its moments.’

‘McCausland gets most of the best lines, and his deadpan delivery does work up against Mack’s brashness,’ James Hibbs adds in Radio Times. ‘It’s in the small moments of bickering between the two of them that you can start to see a version of the film firing on all cylinders.’

Where Can I Watch Bad Tidings?

Bad Tidings is available to stream on Sky Max and Now with a subscription. sky.com