Ashley Storrie Celebrates BAFTA Success as Award-Winning Comedy Dinosaur Returns for Series 2

Double BAFTA Triumph for Rising Scottish Star

Ashley Storrie won the audience award for ‘favourite Scot on screen’ for her role as Nina, while she and co-creator Matilda Curtis shared the gong for best film and TV writer at the recent BAFTA Scotland Awards. The double win marks a significant milestone for the Glasgow comedian, who has quickly become one of Scotland’s most celebrated performers.

The awards came on the eve of another exciting announcement: Ashley Storrie’s comedy Dinosaur has been renewed for a second series, the BBC has announced. Focusing on an autistic woman battling life’s changes as her sister and best friend gets married, Series 2 will film in 2025.

The Success of Dinosaur

Starring Glasgow comedian Ashley Storrie in the lead role, the new series is expected to air soon on BBC Scotland and BBC Three. Dinosaur was co-created by Matilda Curtis and Ashley Storrie, and it is produced by Two Brothers Pictures, the company behind Fleabag and The Tourist.

The first series, which aired in April 2024, follows Nina, an autistic palaeontologist navigating the challenges of her sister’s sudden engagement. Playing Nina, who like Storrie herself has autism, gave her the opportunity to stop a lifetime of masking. The authenticity of the portrayal has resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike.

What to Expect from Series 2

The series picks up eight months after the events of series one, with Nina working on a palaeontology dig site on the Isle of Wight. While it appears she is living her dream, Nina is in fact exhausted and missing Glasgow, her family and the small comforts of home. When she finally returns to Scotland, she finds everything has changed, her workplace has relocated, her family has big news to share and she finds herself caught in a complicated romantic triangle.

Significance for Representation and British Comedy

Ashley Storrie’s success represents an important moment for authentic representation in British television. Storrie is autistic, but was not diagnosed until later in life, bringing genuine lived experience to her portrayal of Nina. The show’s renewal demonstrates audiences’ appetite for honest, diverse storytelling that reflects the full spectrum of human experience.

For viewers and the television industry alike, Storrie’s achievement signals a shift towards more inclusive and representative comedy. With production commencing in 2025, fans can look forward to more of Nina’s journey and Ashley Storrie’s continued rise in British comedy.