THERE’S something about comedians that allow them to move from the world of laughter into the darker world of drama.

It’s a fact that many top comedians make excellent serious actors, and now Manchester’s Jason Manford is doing just that with a new BBC One TV series that started last night.

Ordinary Lies is one of those compelling series – like Clocking Off and The Street – that focuses on one group of people, offering a different story each week. It’s written by former North-west journalist, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and has a solid cast of impressive names.

One of them, EastEnders’ Jo Joyner, plays Beth, head of sales in the motor showroom where the drama is set,. She was genuinely surprised at how good Jason Manford’s acting is, finding him “absolutely brilliant – and effortless” although, in fairness, he had some early acting training.

We probably shouldn’t be too surprised that comedians generally can tap into such a range of emotions because they’re observers of life and very perceptive. Sounds like compulsive viewing.