It has already provided the backdrop to one of the nation's favourite sitcoms in Peep Show, but now Croydon has been picked to be the setting for a more unlikely comedy.

Part festive romcom, part satire of the economic crisis, A Very European Christmas is a short film by Addiscombe director Bob Denham.

It is the sequel to A Very European Break-up, which proved an online sensation earlier this year and has garnered over 300,000 views on YouTube.

The eight-minute film paired economics with comedy by centering on the turbulent marriage between a German woman and Greek man.

The sequel, which can be viewed online now, sees the couple host a range of larger-than-life characters representing other European countries over Christmas.

The film was shot in Croydon in November.

Former economics student Bob, 25, said: "I grew up in Croydon and my parents live here so I know the place well and I was able to use my parents' house as a base.

"Croydon is often dismissed as an ugly backside of London but I don't know many other places where you can film a city scene with Christmas lights flashing and then film in front of open fields all within a 20-minute drive.

"Croydon is underappreciated. It served me well as a place to grow up and it has served me well as a place to make a film. If it's good enough for Christopher Nolan and Batman, it's good enough for me."

He added: "The aim for the film is to prove that you can make a film about a confusing, complicated, and emotive issue that can be enjoyed by people from across Europe. 

"That's an ambitious aim but hopefully we will get enough people watching it to prove the doubters wrong and at least to build enough of a following to allow us to keep the project going."