Teen switches from Wicked to basketball comedy

A 16-year-old said it was fun to learn how to play basketball for a new CBBC comedy in which she makes her TV debut.

Bea Ward, who was in Hollywood's Wicked movie last year, is part of High Hoops alongside Peep Show's Robert Webb and Isy Suttie, which began on Monday.

The teenager, from Leominster, Herefordshire, said she played "ultimate cool girl" Jessica who captains a basketball team.

The series follows the exploits of a failing school team and the arrival of "tall, gaffe-prone but unstoppable Aoife O'Neill", the lead character played by Darci Hull, a BBC spokesperson said.

Asked if she herself was a bit of a mean girl in the show, Bea replied: "Yeah, I would definitely say a little bit more than a bit but she does have her nice moments, I suppose."

The cast member said all the other girls also had to learn how to play the sport "which was really fun, since we did it together".

"I would say the basketball skills weren't great, but [there is] the magic of television," she added.

"Since I'm Filipino, basketball's basically in our blood. Clearly not mine."

Asked if she had played before, she replied: "I don't think I have...I don't think I've ever touched a basketball before that.

"So it was actually a really fun experience."

The teenager said it was "so great" working with Webb and Suttie.

"Robert is just a natural comedian and Isy's so lovely and she does her job so well," Bea said.

"We have Nigel Boyle, who plays [school basketball coach] Jim, and it was just so cool to watch them work."

Describing the show, she said it "actually is so funny".

"It's so weird to see it all put together, because when you're filming it, obviously you don't film it in chronological order, so to see it all put together it was so amazing," she added.

Bea said filming would take place soon for a second season.

Asked about her appearance in the huge blockbuster Wicked, she replied: "It was just so surreal to see myself on the big screen.

"To work with such big names from America - it was honestly just crazy and I still can't believe it to this day.

"It just gave me an insight to what my future could look like and I'm just so grateful to my agents and everyone that's helped me get to that point in my life."

High Hoops, which started on Monday evening at 18:25 GMT on CBBC, will also be on BBC iPlayer

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