'Corner Gas's Nancy Robertson Returns to TV on 'Hiccups'

'Corner Gas's Nancy Robertson just can't get away from working with her real-life husband and long-time co-star, Brent Butt. The two both star in the Butt-created sitcom 'Hiccups', with Robertson playing Millie Upton, a children's author with anger management issues, and Butt as her quirky life coach.

'Hiccups' also features Laura Soltis ('The Guard') as Millie's long-suffering publisher who has to deal with the fallout from her star author's frequent freak-outs, and David Ingram ('Doc') as Millie's sleazy agent.

We caught up with Robertson to chat about working with Butt again, her own Millie-esque moments and why she doesn't want Millie to have any love interests.

'Corner Gas's Nancy Robertson just can't get away from working with her real-life husband and long-time co-star, Brent Butt. The two both star in the Butt-created sitcom 'Hiccups', with Robertson playing Millie Upton, a children's author with anger management issues, and Butt as her quirky life coach.

'Hiccups' also features Laura Soltis ('The Guard') as Millie's long-suffering publisher who has to deal with the fallout from her star author's frequent freak-outs, and David Ingram ('Doc') as Millie's sleazy agent.

We caught up with Robertson to chat about working with Butt again, her own Millie-esque moments and why she doesn't want Millie to have any love interests.

What was your original reaction when you heard about the concept for 'Hiccups'?

I loved it. I thought that it was pretty original and it seemed like a lot of fun to play the character, and I liked the idea of the lost leading the lost, but surrounded by enough people with savvy that there was still some protection.

At first I was concerned about doing another show with Brent. I thought we didn't want to give the impression that everything we did was together, but the more I thought about it, 'Hiccups' is the first project we've actually gone into as a pair – when we went into 'Corner Gas' we didn't know each other. The role was so great, and when Brent Butt is interested in you for a series you go, 'Well I'm not an idiot, sure.' So I jumped in.

Do you have anything in common with Millie?

No. You know what, I wish I did. She's so in the moment. She just loves life and if anything sours she clears it up right away, no holds barred. She's really fun that way. I'm so not in the moment. [Laughs] I would imagine Millie just sleeps like a log.

Have you ever had any Millie-type moments where you've just flown off the handle?

The only time I can think of when I snapped at somebody was when I was having coffee with my brother and this woman just slammed her baby carriage into his chair and said 'I've got a child here.' So I just looked at her and said, 'Well why don't you teach your child some manners and say 'excuse me' first?' Other than that I can't think of anything. I'm not big on confrontation... I'll blow up by myself later in the car.

You've never been escorted out of a coffee shop like on the show?

No, not yet! [Laughs]

In time.

Yeah, that's right. Maybe in my later senior years when I start losing it. Maybe I'll start channelling her a little bit.

What can we expect from this season? Any love interests for Millie?

No. And this was one of my creative requests. I didn't want Millie to be this single gal looking for love and trying to fix her life in the big city. I wanted it to be about the character, not that she's a woman. In my mind, either sex could play a character like her. It's not about her being a female. I'm not saying that there won't be storylines that touch on it, but that's not her motive. She is really content how she is. There's a speed-dating episode, but it's not really about her looking for anything, it's about her getting out and about.

So it was important to you to avoid that cliché?

Yeah, it was really important to me. I think there's definitely room for the female story and the male story, but when certain shows came out they labeled them she-coms, and that stuck in my craw a little bit because I thought when shows like 'Seinfeld' and 'Frasier' came out, they weren't being called he-coms. They should just be about the shows themselves. Hopefully 'Hiccups' appeals to both genders.

Is there anything else you'd like to say about 'Hiccups'?

To the fans of 'Corner Gas,' I know it might be different at first, but stick with us and get to know this group. It evolves as the season progresses to getting to know everybody a lot better. We're really happy with it and we hope the audience is as well.

'Hiccups' premieres on Monday, March 1 at 8 pm ET on CTV.