Peak District town features in Channel 4 pilot comedy Peaked co ...

Ada, who has lived in the Derbyshire Dales town for much of her life, has co-written and starred in the pilot for a comedy series released by Channel 4.

Set in rural Derbyshire, Peaked follows bickering best friends Sara and Beth who are in their twenties, living with their parents and fancying the same boy in a small town called Welworth. “I guess it’s kind of inspired by our experiences of moving back home and living with parents when we were too old to be doing that,” said Ada, 25. “And hanging out drinking in the park until you’re so cold you can’t feel your legs is a universal countryside-coming-of-age experience.

"Right from the start, my writing partner, Bron Waugh, and I always thought it would be set in Wirksworth. It meant we had inside knowledge of where looked good so we were able to make it beautiful even on a super tight budget. We filmed in Kens, outside The Lime Kiln, The Stardisc, Fanny Shaws park.

"We filmed everything in three days - it was such a rush!! I’ve only heard nice things about our time filming, but I think some of the vans clogged up a road down near Millers Green, so my eternal apologies for that!

"It was lovely to film it at home, and to be able to walk to work!"

The crew were keen to capture the creative spirit of Wirksworth, a town that hosts an arts festival every year. Ada said: “In Peaked, all of the young characters call themselves artists, but mainly so they can boast about it over a pint. Also, over the years, Wirksworth has become this place that people move to, from all over the country, with locals who have lived here for generations and others who have just arrived. We wanted to reflect this community change with new boy, George, coming to town and causing chaos with his bongos.”

Ada stars alongside Ele McKenzie and Freddie Meredith whom she met in London a year ago. She said: “Ele is an insanely talented actor and standup who makes good jokes about having scabies, and Freddie is an incredible actor/comedian who recently got nominated for a Royal Television Society Award for Such Brave Girls?! So we had the creme de la creme!

"I wish we could have had more of the supporting actors from Wirksworth. I think it was some sort of insurance-cost thing, which meant I wasn’t just allowed to invite all of my friends. But if you look carefully you might spot Please Y’Self’s Rob Gill.

"My fingers are eternally crossed that the pilot will result in a series. We’d love to do more. We’ve got big ideas about Beth and Sara attempting the Wirksworth Wheelbarrow race and vomming everywhere. But whatever happens, we are so lucky to have made what we have already.

"I was so lucky to have this as my first TV job. Now I’m worried I’ve set the bar way too high – no other telly jobs match up!”

Channel 4 sponsored the pilot, thanks to Ada and Bron’s creative collaboration with the comedy production company, Boffola. Three years ago, under the guise of comedy duo Ada & Bron, the writers won the Funny Women Award with their short film Jonny & Tommy which attracted the attention of Boffola.

Ada, who has lived in London for the past couple of years, is a former Anthony Gell and Belper School student, and pupil of Big Theatre and IndepenDANCE. She went to train as a clown at Ecole Phillipe Gaulier in Paris before studying Theatre and Performance at Bristol University where she teamed up with filmmaker and comedian, Bron Waugh to develop her comedic interests.

Ada & Bron will bring their own, very camp, comedy show called The Origin of Love to Wirksworth Arts Festival on September 10.