Denise Welch and Sophia Di Martino join Josh Pugh in new Channel 4 comedy

Channel 4 has announced Stepping Up, a six-part sitcom starring comedian Josh Pugh as an overenthusiastic stepdad whose attempts to become the perfect family man threaten to disrupt a household that was perfectly happy without his help.

Produced by Roughcut Television, the company behind Big Boys, We Might Regret This and Things You Should Have Done, the comedy takes a fresh look at the complications of modern family life. Pugh writes and stars as Josh, a well-meaning man determined to prove himself as a role model to his stepchildren, a supportive partner to his girlfriend and an all-round good bloke.

Unfortunately, his family does not share his enthusiasm for constant improvement. Everyone is getting along perfectly well, leaving Josh to create problems for himself as he tries to solve problems nobody else believes exist.

Josh Pugh finds comedy in stepfatherhood

The sitcom draws on Pugh's own experiences growing up in a small town with stepparents on both sides of his family. He believes the challenges of bringing up somebody else's children offer plenty of potential for comedy that television has yet to explore fully.

"I'm over the moon to be doing something that very few people get to do in their lives and make a sitcom," Pugh said.

He added that he wanted to capture the experience of blended families in a way that felt both funny and authentic, pointing to the number of people across Britain navigating the complexities of raising children alongside former partners and new relationships.

The show's premise centres on the competing loyalties that can emerge in stepfamilies. Josh must work out where he fits between his partner and her ex, while trying to build relationships with children who already have a biological father and established family routines.

Channel 4 backs a new sitcom voice

Charlie Perkins, Channel 4's head of comedy, praised Pugh's performance and writing, describing his screen presence as magnetic and the series as a combination of "hyper silly and hyper real".

Perkins also highlighted the broadcaster's continuing relationship with Pugh, saying Channel 4 was proud to continue working with him on the new project.

Steve Monger, executive producer at Roughcut Television, described Stepping Up as a "truly original, raucous and refreshing take on the family sitcom". The production is being filmed in the Midlands, with Roughcut bringing Pugh's concept to the screen.

When will Stepping Up air?

The six-part series has been announced by Channel 4, but a confirmed transmission date has not yet been provided.

Its focus on the awkward realities of step-parenting gives it a different starting point from the traditional family sitcom, where parents and children usually occupy clearly defined roles. Josh's determination to be indispensable could prove to be his biggest weakness, particularly when the people he wants to impress would prefer him simply to relax.

By placing an overenthusiastic stepdad at the centre of the story, Stepping Up aims to find humour in the gap between wanting to do everything right and understanding what a family actually needs.