MARK O'Sullivan has created a documentary and a sitcom about child sexual abuse, in a courageous effort to deal with his own trauma.
Like Richard Gadd, the comedian felt empowered by sharing his experience of sexual abuse in the public domain. Here we get to know Mark and what his new sitcom is all about.
Who is Mark O'Sullivan?
Mark O'Sullivan is a comedian, actor, writer and director.
He was born on December 25, 1976, in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
After attending Monk’s Walk secondary school, Mark studied Performing Arts at Oaklands College in St Albans.
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He planned on going to drama school, but lost both of his parents a few years apart and went into teaching for five years.
During his time working as a self-taught film maker for a charity, he met Miles Chapman and they started writing and performing comedy together.
Together with Miles Chapman, he created, wrote, executive produced and directed the Channel 4 sitcom Lee and Dean.
Mark played Dean in the show and has had roles in Tell Me Everything, The Nevers, and the BBC's The Javone Prince Show.
His latest venture is called Making Lemonade.
It is a project to build upon and share the process of creating something positive from the trauma he experienced making this documentary and sitcom.
Making Lemonade will include podcasts, a book, workshops and talks.
Is Mark O'Sullivan married?
Mark is married to wife Jenny.
In a 2022 interview, Mark mentioned that Jenny is friends with Miles Chapman's wife.
He told AbsolutelyMagazines: "His wife is friends with my wife, and we have lots of mutual friends.
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Mark writing and confronting his trauma through comedy has been at times, heart-breaking, but mostly a life affirming process, to see creativity allow a new narrative to be written
Cariad Lloyd
"We’d go on lots of family holidays together and I remember one of the first holidays we had in Ireland, we got told off by respective wives because we were just trying to make each other laugh all the time!
"We have a similar sense of humour.”
What is 'My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom' about?
My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom is a new Channel 4 sitcom, in which Mark reflects on making a sitcom as a way to deal with his experiences of abuse.
The show reveals how he dealt with his experiences as an adult and what happened when he told his family about his abuse.
It also follows the court case that took place when Mark was in his thirties.
Making something positive out of the trauma I went through as a child really feels like the best – the only – way for me to deal with it.
Mark O'Sullivan
The cast includes Cariad Lloyd, Rufus Jones, Ellie Taylor and Sam Underwood — as well as Mark.
The show was recorded in front of a live studio audience and is set in the style of a 1980s family sitcom.
Producer and director Joe Evans said: "It's been an incredible privilege to work with Mark O'Sullivan on a project in which he's laid his soul bare, and found a strikingly original way — both through his comedy, and his extraordinary testimony in the documentary — to express the complex impact that childhood sexual abuse has had on him."
Mark told the Independent: “Making something positive out of the trauma I went through as a child really feels like the best – the only — way for me to deal with it.
I hope it helps to normalise the conversation around sexual abuse. Silence is fuel to abusers
Mark O'Sullivan
“Being given the opportunity to drag what happened to me out into daylight, where it’s not nearly as powerful and destructive as it was when hidden, has helped me so much.
"I hope it helps to normalise the conversation around sexual abuse.
"Silence is fuel to abusers.
"It stops people from coming forward to say what happened to them.
"If we talk about it, shine bright light directly on to it, we can deal with it.
"Making this has helped me so much. I hope it helps others too.”
Cariad Lloyd, who acts in the show, said: "Mark writing and confronting his trauma through comedy has been at times, heart-breaking, but mostly a life affirming process, to see creativity allow a new narrative to be written."
How to watch My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom
My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom will air on Tuesday May 28, 2024.
The documentary starts at 10pm on Channel 4, and will also be available to stream on the Channel 4 website after its release.
As well as the doc, there is also the sitcom it captures the making of — My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom (The Actual Sitcom) — which will also be available on All4 following the broadcast of the documentary.
