Hallelujah? Shaun and Bez open Co-op 'Send-Off' series

Co-op Funeralcare has enlisted celebrity “couples” for a new digital-first branded entertainment series aimed at encouraging the nation to start the conversation about their funeral wishes, letting friends and family know what they want when the time comes.

The move sees the funeral specialist team up with Channel 4 for Celebrity Send-Off, devised by agency Lucky Generals in collaboration with media agency Carat UK and production company Interstellar.

The three-part series intimately chronicles the journey of three celebrity duos as they confront the emotional and logistical elements of planning a loved one’s funeral. Their stories are told with emotion, heartfelt sentiment, and a touch of unexpected humour, reflecting the multifaceted nature of life and loss.

The first episode, featuring Happy Mondays and Celebrity Gogglebox duo Shaun Ryder and Bez, launches this week across YouTube and goes live on social platforms on July 10. Two additional episodes, featuring Gogglebox’s Marcus Luther and his wife Mica Ven and former Olympian Kriss Akabusi and his daughter Shakira Akabusi, will be released throughout July.

In the first episode, one of the Happy Mondays’ duo arranges a funeral for the other as Ryder says: “Right, then, let’s find out who’s gonna die,” to which Bez responds: “I hope it’s you. I don’t want to die yet! It then follows their “journey” as one of them delves deep into death and their other’s wishes.

The campaign follows a recent report commissioned by Co-op Funeralcare, ‘Planning for Death’, which revealed that less than half (45%) of people had openly talked about their funeral wishes with loved ones, with the new digital series designed to build on the success of last year’s “Talking Now Helps Your Loved Ones Later” ad campaign and “Let’s Start Talking” podcast series.

Co-op Funeralcare head of client marketing, digital and experience Mandip Mann said: “We understand how difficult it can be for people to discuss topics related to death and bereavement, particularly with family and friends. However, talking about things such as your funeral wishes can help give loved one’s peace of mind later, making things that little bit easier during what is an otherwise difficult time.”

“That’s why in working collaboratively with our agencies, Lucky Generals and Carat UK, alongside our social agency, Mullen Lowe, we’re partnering with Channel 4 to create a content series that builds on the success of last year’s campaign and shows the difficulties people can face when organising a loved one’s funeral without first knowing what they wanted.

“Through this series, we aim to normalise what can often be seen as a taboo topic, using a mix of entertainment to highlight just how much of a difference these conversations can make, as well as inspiring the nation to talk to loved ones about it today.”