Could robots help tackle loneliness? BBC’s Ann Droid raises questions about the future of care

New BBC sitcom Ann Droid imagines a near future in which robots provide care and companionship to older people at home. The series centres on Sue, a recent widow played by Sue Johnston, her hapless son Michael and Linda, an assistive care robot played by Diane Morgan. Linda is designed to provide daily support and companionship, with predictably comic results. As researchers in social care, ageing and human-centred robotics, we obviously watched Ann Droid with a keen eye. Beneath the jokes are…