A groundbreaking Newcastle-set sitcom is now available to stream on Prime Video
20:43, 13 Jan 2026
A "heartwarming" sitcom that's been dubbed "even funnier than Gavin and Stacey" is streaming now. Boy Meets Girl was first broadcast on BBC Two in 2015, and followed the blossoming romance between 26-year-old Leo and 40-year-old Judy.
Both Judy and the actress portraying her, Rebecca Root, are transgender, marking this as the BBC's first comedy to prominently address transgender themes. It also became the first British sitcom to feature a transgender actor in a leading role.
Executive producer Sophie Clarke-Jervoise previously explained: "We always knew we had to get a trans actress - I don't think we auditioned anyone who wasn't trans for the role. It just didn't feel right."
Leo was portrayed by Harry Hepple, whilst Loose Women favourite Denise Welch and former Emmerdale star Nigel Betts took on the roles of his parents, Pam and Tony. The ensemble cast also featured Jonny Dixon as Leo's brother James, alongside Vineeta Rishi as Anji, Lizzie Roper as Judy's sister Jackie, and Janine Duvitski as her mother Peggy, reports Chronicle Live.
Boy Meets Girl was created by Elliott Kerrigan, who co-wrote the scripts with Simon Carlyle and Andrew Mettam. The series emerged from the Trans Comedy Award, a 2013 BBC initiative seeking scripts with positive representations of transgender individuals.
Set in Newcastle, the programme ran for two seasons, both of which are currently streaming on Prime Video for UK viewers. Following the pilot episode's broadcast, The Independent drew comparisons between Boy Meets Girl and the critically acclaimed Welsh sitcom Gavin and Stacey, with some viewers even claiming it surpasses the original.
The Guardian had previously described the programme as "a transgender comedy full of sitcom warmth," noting: "It's already shaping up to be the breakout comedy of the year. The show plays with Odd Couple tropes all right, but more through the pair's age gap than anything else. It's reliably cosy... and you would be hard-pushed to find a more likeable ensemble on television right now."
Audiences have also expressed their enthusiasm, with one IMDb reviewer commenting: "Boy Meets Girl has given us some genuine laughs, it's funny and truly entertaining, but there's also a story to it, it feels like it's doing more than just making laughs.
"I've been so impressed with all aspects of this revolutionary comedy, the cast are a delight and even at this early stage I'll say it, please order more series!"
Another person remarked: "I was lucky enough to have picked this up late and be able to watch the whole series in one [fell] swoop. One of the funniest and heartwarming comedies I have seen in ages, absolutely brilliant. Some of the actors may not be that well known, but they certainly did a stand up job entertaining and making me laugh almost all the way through. If you have an open mind and want to be entertained, definitely watch this show."
A third commented: "I was late to this show. It's sweet, smart and laugh-out-loud funny. It tastefully deals with trans issues within a traditional comedy format. It takes the matter seriously but balances this with the right amount of humour. More importantly, there are great characters that you can relate to and quickly grow to adore. It's well written and the cast is outstanding. Denise Welch and Janine Duvitski as the mums are standouts. And the chemistry between Judy and Leo is beautifully brought to life by the wonderful Rebecca Root and Harry Hepple."
A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: "I loved the first season and now the second season is here, I want to congratulate the writers for a well written sitcom with a difference. It could have been crass and smutty but it is very funny and sensitive. The acting on the whole is very good. Everyone should watch this!"
Boy Meets Girl is available to stream on Prime Video
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