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Russell Tovey says he recently ‘begged’ Andrew Haigh for a Looking comeback

Exclusive: "Come on, let's just have a special and come back"

By Alastair James

Russell Tovey and Mawaan Rizwan
Russell Tovey and Mawaan Rizwan (Image: Kit Oates/Attitude)

Russell Tovey, one of the stars of HBO’s Looking, has said he’s begged the series’ creator to bring the show back.

The series about gay men in San Francisco, which also starred Jonathan Groff and Murray Bartlett, aired between 2014 and 2016.

Speaking exclusively to Attitude on the red carpet at the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, Russell, who played Kevin Matheson, shared what talks he’d had about a possible Looking comeback.

“I was with Andrew Haigh [Looking‘s creator and director] the other day and I was begging him saying ‘Come on, let’s just have a special and come back,’ and he didn’t seem completely closed off to it so who knows? But I would jump at the chance.”

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Russell Tovey discusses the possibility of a ‘Looking’ reboot with ‘Juice’ co-star Mawaan Rizwan… 👀 #AttitudeAwards #RusselTovey #MawaanRizwan #Looking #HBO #Gay #LGBTQ

♬ original sound – Attitude Magazine

Mawaan Rizwan, the creator of the BBC Three comedy, Juice, in which Russell also stars, added his support.

“You should be in it,” Russell said to his co-star who then said he “bloody loved Looking.”

Reflecting on the time since the show aired, the pair agreed it would be the “perfect time” for a come back.

Russell Tovey, Le Gateau Chocolat, and Mawaan Rizwan
Russell Tovey, Le Gateau Chocolat, and Mawaan Rizwan (Image: Kit Oates/Attitude)

Russell has previously said he was sad the series had such a limited run. He has also discussed being “broken” by the response the show got at the time it aired.

Recalling filming in San Francisco and being recognised by locals he told The Independent in May that people would come up to him and say, “‘You’re in Looking!… but I’ve not watched it, I’ve heard it’s boring’.

He also said: “It really, really frustrated me. It broke me, honestly. If that show came out now, it’d have a completely different response.”