15 thoughts we had while watching ‘The Full Monty’

The Full Monty is up there with the very best of ’90s British cinema, with its bittersweet, hilarious look at a gang of unemployed blokes who come up with a nakedly ambitious scheme to raise some cash. Now, its writer Simon Beaufoy is teaming up with Alice Nutter to pick things up where he left off, with an original series streaming exclusively on Disney+ from June 14 that brings this retro fave up to date in heartfelt, very twenty-first century style. Here’s what we thought.

1. The gang is back together
Nope, the lads didn’t make it big as strippers. But they’ve got bigger fish to fry. This TV series shows them in their prime, with jobs to do, kids and grandkids to look after, and the odd get-rich-quick scheme to tend to. And best of all, they’re still bezzie mates. 

2.They’ve all got ‘proper’ jobs now
Chaotic charmer Gaz (Robert Carlyle) is a hospital porter, Dave (Mark Addy) is a school caretaker, Jean (Lesley Sharp) is a headteacher, and Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) is grumpier than ever when they tell him about their shenanigans.

3. Gaz’s teenage rebel daughter, Destiny is a Gen Z icon
With her tie dye garms, nose ring, skateboard, and attitude to spare, Talitha Wing’s performance as this car-nicking teen will steal your heart. 

4. The soundtrack is full of retro bangers
Like ‘Don’t Get Me Wrong’ by The Pretenders, which is the backdrop to Destiny and Gaz’s joyful frisbee game on a Sheffield hillside. And would it be The Full Monty without the iconic ‘You Sexy Thing’ by Hot Chocolate? 

5. We’re obsessed with the dog

In the first episode, Britain’s Got Talent-winning pooch Chelsea accidentally falls into the hands of Gaz and his daughter Destiny. She’s so cute you’ll be praying they don’t find a way to give her back. 

6. There are wild shenanigans galore
The dog mishap is just the start of it. There’s also a zany scheme involving pigeon breeding and a Korean billionaire, an armed siege in a job centre, and an intense night where everyone finds more than they bargained for in the woods outside Sheffield.

7. The politics are 100 percent up to date
The OG film The Full Monty is set in ’90s post-industrial Sheffield, where the closure of the steel mills leaves four workers unemployed and in search of cash. Now, its stars are older, but life hasn’t got easier: this series shows them grappling with funding cuts, benefits and food banks as the cost of living crisis bites.

8. Jean and Hetty’s friendship is rich and tumultuous
Lesley Sharp plays Jean, who’s risen to become a pastel pantsuit-wearing school headmistress. But soon, she finds herself at loggerheads with her best friend, rebellious music teacher Hetty, who’s got a streak of mischief as bright as the purple dye in her hair. The fallout is devastating. 

9. There’s wry humour galore
The subject matter here can be pretty serious but writers Simon Beaufoy and Alice Nutter handle things in a way that’s tongue-in-cheek and joyful: like when a choir of kids protest cuts to the school’s music budget by singing Cee Lo Green’s  ‘Fuck You’ in beautiful harmony.

10. It’s perfect for fans of Happy Valley, Educating Yorkshire, or Ackley Bridge
If you’ve got a thing for Yorkshire accents, lightly gritty themes and gorgeous scenery, you’ll be right at home here.

11. Lomper and Dennis’s gay relationship will melt your heart
Their innuendo-filled café The Big Baps might be failing but their bond is a shining success, as well as a rare TV representation of a loving older gay couple.

12. There’s a great crop of young actors
Aiden Cook is a standout as 12-year-old Twiglet, a young lad who Dave takes under his wing.

13. Sheffield looks ruddy gorgeous
Golden stone buildings, emerald green hills… you’ll want to pack your bags and move in. 

14. Everything has changed
In the 26 years since the original movie, Sheffield’s changed beyond recognition. In this series, there are craft breweries, a new generation with right on values, and technology to reckon with - Horse finds himself doing battle with his smartphone.

15. But nothing has changed
The original Full Monty movie was massively powerful because it celebrated the way that ordinary people can unite to fight against adversity with creativity and wit. That same spirit shines through this new series, which shows that working together is a powerful weapon against an unjust world.

The Full Monty is a new original series that will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ from June 14.

18+ subscription required, terms and conditions apply

Watch the trailer