Phoo Action

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title: "Phoo Action" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["television-shows-set-in-london", "television-pilots-not-picked-up-as-a-series", "2008-television-specials", "british-comedy-drama-television-shows", "british-surreal-comedy-television-series", "films-based-on-british-comics", "films-based-on-comic-strips", "television-shows-based-on-comic-strips", "live-action-films-based-on-comics", "films-directed-by-euros-lyn", "television-shows-based-on-british-comics"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoo_Action" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox television"]

FieldValue
imagePhooaction.jpg
captionTerry Phoo & Whitey Action
genreComedy-drama
creatorJamie Hewlett
Mat Wakeham
directorEuros Lyn
starringJaime Winstone
Eddie Shin
Carl Weathers
countryUnited Kingdom
languageEnglish
Cantonese
networkBBC Three
released
::

| image = Phooaction.jpg | caption = Terry Phoo & Whitey Action | genre = Comedy-drama | creator = Jamie Hewlett Mat Wakeham | director = Euros Lyn | starring = Jaime Winstone Eddie Shin Carl Weathers | country = United Kingdom | language = English Cantonese | network = BBC Three | released = Phoo Action is a BBC Three 60 minute TV pilot, first broadcast in February 2008 as one of six drama pilots. It stars Jaime Winstone as Whitey Action, Carl Weathers as Police Chief Benjamin "Ben" Benson and Eddie Shin as Terry Phoo.

A six-part series was commissioned to begin shooting later in 2008 for broadcast in 2009: however, shortly before production was due to begin the BBC announced that the series had been cancelled.

The show is set from the perspective of the disaffected teenage female protagonist, Whitey Action, who joins together with tough guy kung-fu cop Terry Phoo to form a dubious crime-fighting duo who thwart the plans of The Freebies Gang on the streets of London in 2012.

The screen adaptation was written by Matthew Enriquez Wakeham, Jessica Hynes and Peter Martin, and directed by Euros Lyn.

Production began in September 2007 at a number of Glasgow locations. Some scenes were shot inside the main studio at BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay Studios.

Plot

Whitey Action is daughter of Ben Benson, the chief of the London Police. When Queen Elizabeth II is killed by a gang of mutants, known as The Freebies, Whitey guesses they are behind the murder while her father's forces focus their attentions on a single 'a mutant insurgent' suspect. Terry Phoo, a highly-trained combat cop from the Hong Kong Police Force is called in by Benson's superior, Lord Rothwell, as he is supposedly an expert at fighting mutants. However, his investigative skills leave much to be desired.

The Freebies are castigated by a mysterious group of sinister characters known as the Star Chamber for killing the Queen as they were supposed to mutate her, not murder her. The Freebies are given one last chance, demanding that William is mutated before he is crowned. While at a party in the Freebies nightclub, Whitey sees Princes William and Harry being led off by the Freebies, and she causes a big scene, preventing them from being captured but getting herself arrested by Terry Phoo. She convinces him that she is a special agent and he takes her to his hotel room. While looking for chocolate, she finds a case containing the Buddha's loincloth that transforms into a pair of hotpants, which she immediately tries on. She discovers that she can pull anything she desires from the pants, leading Phoo to decide that this means that she is the Chosen One.

Together Phoo and Action save the Princes from the evil plot to mutate them, and the subsequent plot to set the lead mutant, Jimmy Freebie, on the throne. The story ends, however, with William beginning to mutate during his coronation. The Freebies are eventually arrested for the Queen's murder.

Reception

On 8 September 2007, before principal photography had begun, John Patterson writing in The Guardian, placed Phoo Action at number 13 in his list of '50 must-see shows' of Autumn.

On transmission, Phoo Action received mixed reviews. Michael Deacon, for The Daily Telegraph, wrote "BBC3 has had a revamp. Judging by Phoo Action, though, the channel remains unwavering in its commitment to diabolical television", whereas The Times Andrew Billen "(found himself) enjoying to an almost indecent degree".

Audience figures were reported at 232,000, 105,000 fewer than the average for the time slot, with a proportionately lower audience share.

Awards

The pilot featured in the "Best Pilots" section of the second annual , which took place in July 2008.

Phoo Action won the BAFTA Scotland award for best television drama.

Cancellation

In February 2008, prior to the pilot's broadcast, the BBC announced that it had commissioned a six part series of Phoo Action, stating "We really believe in the originality and boldness of Phoo Action ... It's fantastic news that the work of Jamie Hewlett and the rest of the crew will be back on the channel." However, in November 2008 BBC Scotland notified the actors' union BECTU that production had been cancelled. The cost of cutting the show, which was due to start filming in November 2008, was reported to be approximately £500,000 in contract payments.

References

References

  1. (29 January 2008). "Phoo Action - the first of six vibrant new dramas for BBC Three". BBC Press Office.
  2. Wakeham, Mat. (1 June 2008). "Get The Freebies Episode 1". [[Issuu]].
  3. (14 February 2008). "BBC Wants More Phoo Action". [[Daily Record (Scotland).
  4. McLean, Gareth. (17 November 2008). "Laura Mackie is getting ITV drama back on track". The Guardian.
  5. {{IMDb name. 1561276. Mat Wakeham
  6. {{IMDb name. 0552902. Peter Martin
  7. Burch, Anthony. (25 March 2008). "Real Men Love Phoo Action". Double Viking.
  8. Vine, Richard. (13 February 2008). "One-shot wonders". The Guardian.
  9. Billen, Andrew. (13 February 2008). "Phoo Action; Horizon; Mistresses {{!}} Last Night's TV". [[The Times]].
  10. Mclaughlin, Robert. (13 February 2008). "Phoo Action review". [[Den of Geek]].
  11. (8 September 2007). "50 must-see shows". The Guardian.
  12. Holmwood, Leigh. (13 February 2008). "BBC3 relaunch: How was it for you?". The Guardian.
  13. Eyre, Hermione. (16 February 2008). "Review: Lily Allen and Friends, BBC3; Phoo Action, BBC3; Skins, E4; Attila The Hun, BBC1". [[The Independent]].
  14. Holmwood, Leigh. (13 February 2008). "BBC3 relaunch brought down to Earth". [[The Guardian]].
  15. (9 July 2008). "Italian passion for British drama at Rome Fiction Fest". BBC Press Office.
  16. (9 November 2008). "British Academy Scotland Awards: Winners in 2008". BAFTA Scotland.
  17. West, Dave. (14 February 2008). "'Phoo Action' to return for series". [[Digital Spy]].
  18. (14 November 2008). "BBC cancels Phoo Action". BECTU.
  19. (16 November 2008). "Kung Fu Chopped". Daily Record.

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television-shows-set-in-londontelevision-pilots-not-picked-up-as-a-series2008-television-specialsbritish-comedy-drama-television-showsbritish-surreal-comedy-television-seriesfilms-based-on-british-comicsfilms-based-on-comic-stripstelevision-shows-based-on-comic-stripslive-action-films-based-on-comicsfilms-directed-by-euros-lyntelevision-shows-based-on-british-comics