David Mitchell is returning to the BBC for genre-bending detective comedy Ludwig, which features on a five-strong comedy slate alongside Hulu co-production Dinosaur and a show from The Duchess star Michelle de Swarte.
Unveiling his first major comedy slate at this afternoon’s BBC Comedy Festival in Cardiff, the corporation’s Comedy Director Jon Petrie said the shows reflect “the depth and range of our offerings which champion British creativity.”
The slate is led by Ludwig, Peep Show star Mitchell’s first BBC project since Upstart Crow, which follows the eponymous protagonist as he takes on the identity of his brother, Dci James Taylor, who has disappeared off the face of the earth. Mitchell’s Ludwig lives in quiet solitude, designing puzzles for a living under his nom-de-plume, and he struggles to adapt to being a twin who happens to be a successful Dci leading Cambridge’s busy inner-city major crimes team.
Unveiling his first major comedy slate at this afternoon’s BBC Comedy Festival in Cardiff, the corporation’s Comedy Director Jon Petrie said the shows reflect “the depth and range of our offerings which champion British creativity.”
The slate is led by Ludwig, Peep Show star Mitchell’s first BBC project since Upstart Crow, which follows the eponymous protagonist as he takes on the identity of his brother, Dci James Taylor, who has disappeared off the face of the earth. Mitchell’s Ludwig lives in quiet solitude, designing puzzles for a living under his nom-de-plume, and he struggles to adapt to being a twin who happens to be a successful Dci leading Cambridge’s busy inner-city major crimes team.
- 5/24/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Showtime and Channel 4 comedy Entitled from the production company behind Fleabag has unveiled full cast and rolled cameras in Manchester.
Joining Fleabag and Stranger Things star Brett Gelman in Two Brothers Pictures’ eight-parter are Donald Sumpter (Game of Thrones), Brendan Patricks (Downton Abbey), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London), Mark Quartley (Lucky Man), Jonathan Livingstone (Peacock), Charlotte Louise Arrowsmith (This is Going to Hurt) and Kelly Wenham (Merlin).
Entitled stars Gelman as Gabe, a conniving American widower who posthumously must get to know The Beaucrofts, his British wife’s eccentric estranged family, in their crumbling gothic mansion in the English countryside. As Gabe’s search for closure and truth reveal a newly inherited fortune, each family member’s ambition comes to a head.
Matt Morgan (Mister Winner) created Entitled, which entered production in Manchester this week. Director is Tim Kirkby (The Pentaverate) and exec producers are Morgan, Kirkby, Gelman and Fleabag trio Harry Williams,...
Joining Fleabag and Stranger Things star Brett Gelman in Two Brothers Pictures’ eight-parter are Donald Sumpter (Game of Thrones), Brendan Patricks (Downton Abbey), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London), Mark Quartley (Lucky Man), Jonathan Livingstone (Peacock), Charlotte Louise Arrowsmith (This is Going to Hurt) and Kelly Wenham (Merlin).
Entitled stars Gelman as Gabe, a conniving American widower who posthumously must get to know The Beaucrofts, his British wife’s eccentric estranged family, in their crumbling gothic mansion in the English countryside. As Gabe’s search for closure and truth reveal a newly inherited fortune, each family member’s ambition comes to a head.
Matt Morgan (Mister Winner) created Entitled, which entered production in Manchester this week. Director is Tim Kirkby (The Pentaverate) and exec producers are Morgan, Kirkby, Gelman and Fleabag trio Harry Williams,...
- 8/18/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has appointed Charlie Perkins as head of comedy, reporting into chief content officer Ian Katz. Former head of comedy Fiona McDermott left Channel 4 in March to join Apple TV+.
Perkins will manage a team comprising newly promoted commissioning editor Laura Riseam and commissioning executive Joe Hullait. She will also oversee the appointment of a new senior commissioning editor. Channel 4 commissioning editor Jack Bayles is leaving the broadcaster to join “I May Destroy You” producer Various Artists Limited as head of comedy.
Perkins, who will take up the role at Channel 4 later this year, joins from Blink Industries where she was head of comedy. She began her career working on shows such as “Little Britain,” “French & Saunders,” “Benidorm” and “Mock the Week,” moving on to become a producer at alternative comedy venue The Invisible Dot, BBC Radio Comedy and Cave Bear Productions. In 2013, Perkins founded The Paddock comedy collective,...
Perkins will manage a team comprising newly promoted commissioning editor Laura Riseam and commissioning executive Joe Hullait. She will also oversee the appointment of a new senior commissioning editor. Channel 4 commissioning editor Jack Bayles is leaving the broadcaster to join “I May Destroy You” producer Various Artists Limited as head of comedy.
Perkins, who will take up the role at Channel 4 later this year, joins from Blink Industries where she was head of comedy. She began her career working on shows such as “Little Britain,” “French & Saunders,” “Benidorm” and “Mock the Week,” moving on to become a producer at alternative comedy venue The Invisible Dot, BBC Radio Comedy and Cave Bear Productions. In 2013, Perkins founded The Paddock comedy collective,...
- 6/27/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Various Artists Limited (Val), the Emmy and BAFTA winning production company behind “I May Destroy You,” “Sally4Ever” and “Dead Pixels” has appointed Channel 4 commissioning editor Jack Bayles as head of comedy.
London-based Val was founded in 2017 by “Peep Show” co-creator Sam Bain and “Succession” showrunner Jesse Armstrong, together with producers and ex-Channel 4 commissioners, Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni.
Reporting into Clarke and based in London and Brighton, Bayles will join from August and will be responsible for overseeing Val’s comedy slate as well as developing new projects. He previously produced Channel 4’s hit comedy “Catastrophe” with Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, and in 2017 was appointed commissioning editor for the channel, where he was responsible for BAFTA winning “Stath Lets Flats,” “Derry Girls,” Aisling Bea’s “This Way Up,” “Michell & Webb’s Back,” “The Curse” and “Hullraisers.”
Bayles said: “Channel 4 comedy is a vital and precious voice in British comedy,...
London-based Val was founded in 2017 by “Peep Show” co-creator Sam Bain and “Succession” showrunner Jesse Armstrong, together with producers and ex-Channel 4 commissioners, Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni.
Reporting into Clarke and based in London and Brighton, Bayles will join from August and will be responsible for overseeing Val’s comedy slate as well as developing new projects. He previously produced Channel 4’s hit comedy “Catastrophe” with Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, and in 2017 was appointed commissioning editor for the channel, where he was responsible for BAFTA winning “Stath Lets Flats,” “Derry Girls,” Aisling Bea’s “This Way Up,” “Michell & Webb’s Back,” “The Curse” and “Hullraisers.”
Bayles said: “Channel 4 comedy is a vital and precious voice in British comedy,...
- 6/15/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
I May Destroy You and Sally4Ever producer Various Artists Limited (Val) has hired Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Jack Bayles as its Head of Comedy.
Bayles will take up the role from August and will be based in London and Brighton. He’ll be responsible for overseeing Val’s comedy slate and developing new projects. Val said the exec, who has 20 years’ experience in comedy, will provide “creative leadership and artistic vision to the role.”
The company was founded in 2017 by Sam Bain, his writing partner and Succession creator Jesse Armstrong and a pair of former Channel 4 commissioners, Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni. Bayles will report to Clarke.
Tanya Qureshi was Val’s previous Head of Comedy until March 2021 but left to join the BBC.
Prior to Val, Bayles produced Channel 4 and Amazon comedy Catastrophe with Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, and in 2017 was appointed Commissioning Editor for the broadcaster,...
Bayles will take up the role from August and will be based in London and Brighton. He’ll be responsible for overseeing Val’s comedy slate and developing new projects. Val said the exec, who has 20 years’ experience in comedy, will provide “creative leadership and artistic vision to the role.”
The company was founded in 2017 by Sam Bain, his writing partner and Succession creator Jesse Armstrong and a pair of former Channel 4 commissioners, Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni. Bayles will report to Clarke.
Tanya Qureshi was Val’s previous Head of Comedy until March 2021 but left to join the BBC.
Prior to Val, Bayles produced Channel 4 and Amazon comedy Catastrophe with Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, and in 2017 was appointed Commissioning Editor for the broadcaster,...
- 6/15/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
A first look at the third and final season of “Derry Girls” is finally here — and just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has unveiled the first Season 3 still and trailer for the show, which garnered global popularity via Netflix. The drama is created and written by Lisa McGee, who mined her own experiences growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
While Season 1 observed the gang navigating their teens in 1990s Derry against a backdrop of The Troubles, Season 2 charted the group navigating their parents, parties, love interests and school against the backdrop of a precarious peace process. In Season 3 — which still doesn’t have a launch date on Channel 4 — viewers will see that while Northern Ireland is growing up, “this gang of eejits certainly aren’t anytime soon.”
“While there’s hope in the air that The Troubles may finally be over,...
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has unveiled the first Season 3 still and trailer for the show, which garnered global popularity via Netflix. The drama is created and written by Lisa McGee, who mined her own experiences growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
While Season 1 observed the gang navigating their teens in 1990s Derry against a backdrop of The Troubles, Season 2 charted the group navigating their parents, parties, love interests and school against the backdrop of a precarious peace process. In Season 3 — which still doesn’t have a launch date on Channel 4 — viewers will see that while Northern Ireland is growing up, “this gang of eejits certainly aren’t anytime soon.”
“While there’s hope in the air that The Troubles may finally be over,...
- 3/17/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
In today’s Global Bulletin, Bill Gates will participate in this year’s World Congress of Science and Factual Producers as keynote speaker, Netgem and France Channel co-create a new French content streaming platform, Storyglass announces an arts-themed podcast, “Stath Lets Flats” gets a third season at Channel 4, Damian Kavanagh leaves Tiger Aspect and James Purnell departs the BBC, and ViacomCBS Networks International promotes Lee Sears.
Keynote
The World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (Wcsfp) has announced its highest-profile speaker for this year’s event in Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who will take part in an interview with medical journalist Dr. Mercy Korir at the upcoming digital edition of Congress ’20.
Originally planned for early December in the French city of Strasbourg, Wcsfp was forced to move this year’s physical event online as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. The rescheduled event will stream Dec. 7-...
Keynote
The World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (Wcsfp) has announced its highest-profile speaker for this year’s event in Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who will take part in an interview with medical journalist Dr. Mercy Korir at the upcoming digital edition of Congress ’20.
Originally planned for early December in the French city of Strasbourg, Wcsfp was forced to move this year’s physical event online as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. The rescheduled event will stream Dec. 7-...
- 10/23/2020
- by Jamie Lang, Elsa Keslassy and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Stath Lets Flats Renewed For Season 3
Channel 4 has commissioned a third season of BAFTA-winning comedy Stath Lets Flats. Created by Fleabag actor Jamie Demetriou and produced by Roughcut TV, the comedy follows the career of hapless realtor Stath and his family business, Michael & Eagle. Stath Lets Flats, which was picked up by HBO Max in the U.S., won a hat-trick of BAFTAs earlier this year for best male actor in a comedy, best comedy writer, and best scripted comedy. Executive producers are Demetriou and Ash Atalla, while Season 3 was ordered by Channel 4’s head of comedy Fiona McDermott and commissioner Jack Bayles.
James Purnell Quits The BBC
James Purnell, a central figure in Tony Hall’s tenure as BBC director general, has left the British broadcaster to become the president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London. Purnell first joined the BBC in 2013 as director of strategy and digital,...
Channel 4 has commissioned a third season of BAFTA-winning comedy Stath Lets Flats. Created by Fleabag actor Jamie Demetriou and produced by Roughcut TV, the comedy follows the career of hapless realtor Stath and his family business, Michael & Eagle. Stath Lets Flats, which was picked up by HBO Max in the U.S., won a hat-trick of BAFTAs earlier this year for best male actor in a comedy, best comedy writer, and best scripted comedy. Executive producers are Demetriou and Ash Atalla, while Season 3 was ordered by Channel 4’s head of comedy Fiona McDermott and commissioner Jack Bayles.
James Purnell Quits The BBC
James Purnell, a central figure in Tony Hall’s tenure as BBC director general, has left the British broadcaster to become the president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London. Purnell first joined the BBC in 2013 as director of strategy and digital,...
- 10/23/2020
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Brothers Brian and Domhnall Gleeson are teaming for a comedy series titled “Frank of Ireland,” a co-production between Channel 4 and Amazon.
The brothers Gleeson are co-writing and executive producing the show with Michael Moloney, with the half-hour series getting a six-episode order. Brian will star as Frank Marron, who is described as a 32-year-old catastrophe. He is further described as a misanthropic, narcissistic, fantasist in arrested development who thinks the world owes him something. But, nonetheless, he’s the show’s hero.
Frank lives in Dublin with his mother Mary (Pom Boyd). He is single and his pocket money hasn’t increased in a decade or more. Frank is a musician but hasn’t written a song or played a gig in seven years and five months. His ex-girlfriend Aine (Sarah Greene) has a new boyfriend, Peter-Brian (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) for the first time since they split, and Frank may...
The brothers Gleeson are co-writing and executive producing the show with Michael Moloney, with the half-hour series getting a six-episode order. Brian will star as Frank Marron, who is described as a 32-year-old catastrophe. He is further described as a misanthropic, narcissistic, fantasist in arrested development who thinks the world owes him something. But, nonetheless, he’s the show’s hero.
Frank lives in Dublin with his mother Mary (Pom Boyd). He is single and his pocket money hasn’t increased in a decade or more. Frank is a musician but hasn’t written a song or played a gig in seven years and five months. His ex-girlfriend Aine (Sarah Greene) has a new boyfriend, Peter-Brian (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) for the first time since they split, and Frank may...
- 2/27/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Law & Order: Svu star Christopher Meloni and supermodel Jourdan Dunn have joined Channel 4 comedy Maxxx.
The six-part series, written, directed and starring The Handmaid’s Tale’s O-t Fagbenle, centers around a formerly famous boyband star, played by Fagbenle, who tries to make his music comeback in a bid to win back his famous supermodel ex-girlfriend, played by Dunn, and prove to the world that he isn’t a washed-up old has-been.
To get his career back on track Maxxx enlists the help of his cousin/superfan/stalker Rose, played by Raised by Wolves’ Helen Monks and tries to convince his former manager Don Wild, played by Meloni to take him back but he has other ideas and recruits the help of wannabe manager Tamzin, played by Harlots’ Pippa Bennett-Warner. Phone Shop’s Javone Prince plays former bandmate Lucky.
Maxxx is produced by Luti Media, founded by Fagbenle’s younger brother Luti.
The six-part series, written, directed and starring The Handmaid’s Tale’s O-t Fagbenle, centers around a formerly famous boyband star, played by Fagbenle, who tries to make his music comeback in a bid to win back his famous supermodel ex-girlfriend, played by Dunn, and prove to the world that he isn’t a washed-up old has-been.
To get his career back on track Maxxx enlists the help of his cousin/superfan/stalker Rose, played by Raised by Wolves’ Helen Monks and tries to convince his former manager Don Wild, played by Meloni to take him back but he has other ideas and recruits the help of wannabe manager Tamzin, played by Harlots’ Pippa Bennett-Warner. Phone Shop’s Javone Prince plays former bandmate Lucky.
Maxxx is produced by Luti Media, founded by Fagbenle’s younger brother Luti.
- 11/4/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Hulu has boarded Aisling Bea comedy This Way Up as The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi, The Crown’s Tobias Menzies and Game of Thrones’ Indira Varma join the Sharon Horgan-exec produced series.
The U.S. digital service has partnered with Channel 4, which ordered the series, previously known as Happy Af, last year. The series is written by and stars Bea, who starred in NBC comedy I Feel Bad.
Bea plays Aine, a whip smart English-as-a-foreign language teacher trying to pull her life back together after a “teeny little” nervous breakdown, as her sister Shona, played by Catastrophe creator Horgan, worries, not only about her younger sibling, but also about her own life choices. The school where Aine teaches brings together a room full of characters also trying to find their own hope, direction and happiness in this messy world.
Mandvi plays Shona’s boyfriend Vish, Menzies stars as Richard,...
The U.S. digital service has partnered with Channel 4, which ordered the series, previously known as Happy Af, last year. The series is written by and stars Bea, who starred in NBC comedy I Feel Bad.
Bea plays Aine, a whip smart English-as-a-foreign language teacher trying to pull her life back together after a “teeny little” nervous breakdown, as her sister Shona, played by Catastrophe creator Horgan, worries, not only about her younger sibling, but also about her own life choices. The school where Aine teaches brings together a room full of characters also trying to find their own hope, direction and happiness in this messy world.
Mandvi plays Shona’s boyfriend Vish, Menzies stars as Richard,...
- 6/13/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
British broadcaster Channel 4 has appointed People Just Do Nothing producer Jon Petrie as a comedy commissioning editor.
He has produced all five seasons of the mockumentary comedy, which airs on BBC Three, working for Ash Atalla’s Roughcut Television as well as his own Roughcut-backed indie Little A. He also recently produced Stath Lets Flats for C4.
Petrie, who has also produces series including Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Qi and Comic Relief, will join the channel in early 2019 and will report to Head of Comedy Fiona McDermott. He will work alongside Commissioning Editor Jack Bayles and Laura Riseam, who has recently been promoted to Commissioning Executive in the team.
Channel 4’s comedy slate includes Amazon co-pro Catastrophe and Hulu co-pro The Bisexual with new series coming up including Happy Af, Year of the Rabbit and Maxxx.
McDermott said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Jon to the team. He...
He has produced all five seasons of the mockumentary comedy, which airs on BBC Three, working for Ash Atalla’s Roughcut Television as well as his own Roughcut-backed indie Little A. He also recently produced Stath Lets Flats for C4.
Petrie, who has also produces series including Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Qi and Comic Relief, will join the channel in early 2019 and will report to Head of Comedy Fiona McDermott. He will work alongside Commissioning Editor Jack Bayles and Laura Riseam, who has recently been promoted to Commissioning Executive in the team.
Channel 4’s comedy slate includes Amazon co-pro Catastrophe and Hulu co-pro The Bisexual with new series coming up including Happy Af, Year of the Rabbit and Maxxx.
McDermott said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Jon to the team. He...
- 11/14/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Channel 4 has appointed Catastrophe producer Jack Bayles to Commissioning Editor for comedy. He will join the channel in April. Bayles joins after having most recently produced all three series of Channel 4's hit comedy Catastrophe, starring Sharon Hogan and Rob Delaney. He began his career working for comedian Frank Skinner before cutting his teeth on big hitting studio shows such as Friday Night With Jonathan Ross and Baddiel & Skinner's Fantasy Football. In 2006, he…...
- 2/17/2017
- Deadline TV
Written by U.S. comedian and bestselling author, Rob Delaney, and award-winning actress, Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe is a half-hour comedy set in London about an Irish woman and an American man struggling to start a relationship after their clumsy lust leads to pregnancy. Already a critical hit in the UK, Catastrophe is an Avalon Television production with co-producers Birdbath Productions and Merman.
The series will be available exclusively for Prime members in the U.S. this spring and will come to Prime Instant Video in the UK later this year.
“Rob and Sharon have created an engaging, contemporary, funny and moving story,” said Roy Price, Vice President of Amazon Studios. “We are excited to bring Catastrophe exclusively to our Amazon Prime customers and can’t wait to hear what they think of the series.”
“We are delighted to be working with Amazon Studios, whose programming is rapidly proving to be...
The series will be available exclusively for Prime members in the U.S. this spring and will come to Prime Instant Video in the UK later this year.
“Rob and Sharon have created an engaging, contemporary, funny and moving story,” said Roy Price, Vice President of Amazon Studios. “We are excited to bring Catastrophe exclusively to our Amazon Prime customers and can’t wait to hear what they think of the series.”
“We are delighted to be working with Amazon Studios, whose programming is rapidly proving to be...
- 1/28/2015
- Hollywonk
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