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She's best known as DCI Vera Stanhope in ITV's Vera, but you probably don't know that Brenda Blethyn has another brilliant TV drama that's twice as comforting. Kate & Koji is the hidden gem series that follows the titular Kate (Brenda), who strikes up an unlikely friendship with an asylum-seeking doctor, Koji. It's hilarious, heartwarming - and two series of it are available to binge now.
Created by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, who were also behind Outnumbered, the series debuted on ITV in 2020 and was applauded for its humour, portrayal of British societal issues, and Brenda's impeccable performance. And while it has something of an old-fashioned feel to it, it's the sort of the series you can find yourself happily watching for hours.
With Kate & Koji available to watch now, here’s everything you need to know about the series, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Kate & Koji about?
As we mentioned the first series of Kate & Koji aired on ITV in 2020 and introduced the titular characters, Kate (Brenda Blethyn), a prejudiced British working-class woman who runs a café in an Essex seaside town, and Koji (Jimmy Akingbola), an African doctor seeking asylum in the UK. As he’s waiting for his papers to be processed, he seeks refuge from his temporary accommodation at Kate’s café.
Initially, it ruffles Kate’s feathers as she mistakenly believes him to be a “scrounger”. In fact, Koji is unable to legally work in the UK until he's been granted asylum. When Kate becomes aware of this, she warms to him and proposes a deal: she’ll give him free food if he provides unofficial medical consultations to her customers. It’s an offer Koji accepts and, over the course of six episodes, Koji treats various members of the local community at his underground clinic, while forming an unlikely, but heartwarming, friendship with Kate.
In the second series, which was broadcast in 2022, our mismatched duo are back - sort of. While Brenda returned as Kate, Jimmy stepped away from the role of Koji to star in the US reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, with Okorie Chukwu replacing him. Otherwise, Kate & Koji series 2 picks up where it left off, with Koji still running his unofficial surgery while dealing with the UK’s challenging asylum system and Kate holding the forte at the café. But, over the course of the six episodes, the duo contend with fresh challenges, including Koji navigating the choppy waters of a romantic relationship and Kate dealing with a former rival who’s suddenly come out of the woodwork.
Who’s in the cast of Kate & Koji?
The cast of Kate & Koji includes:
- Brenda Blethyn as Kate
- Jimmy Akingbola as Koji (series 1)
- Okorie Chukwu as Koji (series 2)
- Blake Harrison as Medium Dan
- Victor McGuire as Mr Mulholland
- Barbara Flynn as Councillor Lavinia Bone
- Rosalind Ayres as Iris
- Gary Lammin as Postman
- Kris Saddler as Nick
Is Kate & Koji any good?
Yes! Kate & Koji is a worthy comfort watch and we all know that there's nothing quite like an unlikely friendship to warm the cockles of your heart. But it’s more than that, too. As one reviewer put it, Kate & Koji “skewers the state of modern Britain” and many others have praised the series for touching on important societal issues. Clearly, the drama resonated as the first series averaged just under five million viewers when it first aired in 2020.
Is there a trailer for Kate & Koji?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Kate & Koji below.
How can I watch Kate & Koji?
You can watch both series of Kate & Koji on Prime Video. Alternatively, you can watch the second series of the drama on ITVX.
What other great dramas can I watch now?
For another drama that’ll win your heart like Kate & Koji, we’d recommend Film Club. The series centres on a young agoraphobic woman, Evie (Aimee Lou Wood), who starts a film club in her garage while navigating a new romantic relationship with her best friend, Noa (Nabhaan Rizwaan). You can watch Film Club now on BBC iPlayer. Or, for another underrated gem, we’d suggest watching Julia, which tells the trailblazing story of American cookbook author and TV personality, Julia Child (Sarah Lancashire). You can watch Julia now on Prime Video.
