Latest comedy news and reviews covering TV and streaming on both sides of the Atlantic.
© avingagiraffe.com
One liners
Hannah Waddingham musical comedy special ‘Home For Christmas’ commissioned by AppleTV+
Apple’s acclaimed, hit dramedy “Physical” to debut final season Wednesday, August 2
Frasier returns to Paramount+ on October 1st with ten new episodes.
Shrinking renewed for season 2 by Apple TV+
Sharon Horgan writing Bad Sisters season 2. Filming begins in September
Kevin Hart‘s comedy series Die Hart has been renewed for a third season at Roku
Killing It the Peacock (NBC) comedy has been renewed for a second season
‘The Big Door Prize’ gets an immediate renewal from Apple TV+
Apple TV+ comedy series “Trying” has been renewed for a fourth season
‘Grown-ish’ Renewed for Sixth Season at Freeform
Featured Stories
Television Comedy News Television Comedy News Television Comedy News Television Comedy News Television Comedy News Television Comedy News Television Comedy News Television Comedy News
‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Cast Additions For Season 3
Joining the comedy in its third season on HBO are Steve Zahn, Stephen Dorff, Shea Wigham, Kristen Johnston, Lukas Haas, Robert Oberst, Stephen Schneider, Iliza Shlesinger, Sturgill Simpson and Casey Wilson.
The Righteous Gemstones tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. When the spoiled Gemstone children finally get their wish to take control of the Church, they discover leadership is harder than they imagined and that their extravagant lifestyle comes with a heavy price.
Created, written, and executive produced by Danny McBride, The Righteous Gemstones premieres with two new episodes on Sunday, June 18 at 10 p.m. ET. The third season will be nine episodes.
The prestigious New Comedy Awards, first established in 1995, have helped to launch and build the careers of some of Britain’s most loved comedians including Peter Kay, Lee Mack, Nina Conti, Russell Howard, Sindhu Vee, Alan Carr, Sarah Millican, Romesh Ranganathan, Josie Long and Joe Lycett to name just a few.
Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy, says: “BBC Comedy is devoted to discovering and nurturing new comedy talent across the UK and the BBC New Comedy Awards is a tried and tested route for us to unearth the stand-up stars of the future. We can’t wait to see what new British Comedy talent we discover this year.”
Phil McIntyre Television says: “Phil McIntyre Television is delighted to once again be producing the New Comedy Awards for BBC. We remain dedicated to taking the televised regional heats to often under-represented parts of the country and showcasing exciting new talent emerging from all corners of the UK.”
Dan Tiernan, winner of the 2022 BBC New Comedian Award, says: “A year ago I applied for the BBC New Comedy Award and ended up winning the whole thing. It’s completely changed my life, so many doors have opened up and I’ve already had some absolutely incredible opportunities of the back of it. If you’re considering applying but are not sure, honestly do it. You never know it could be you this year!”
BBC New Stand-Up Comedian Award
Entries now open for BBC New Comedy Awards 2023
The search is underway to find the best new stand-up comedians in the UK. Entries open at 10am today (Tuesday 30th of May) for the BBC New Comedy Awards – details can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/newcomedyawards. Those selected from the entry process will then compete in six regional heats to be televised on BBC Three and iPlayer this autumn, followed by the Grand Final which will be screened on BBC One and iPlayer.
Daisy Haggard (Ally), seen here with Martin Freeman (Paul), posted on Instagram that filming had wrapped and that she’d had a great time at the afterparty.
Series four was commissioned by Jon Mountague, Director of Comedy, Sky Studios and Tilusha Ghelani, Commissioning Editor, Sky Studios, for Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content, Sky UK and Nick Grad, President of Original Programming at FX Entertainment.
LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland, Hosted by Graham Norton
Prime Video’s line-up for the first Irish Original series LOL: Last One Laughing, Ireland, will feature a multitude of Irish comedic talent: Aisling Bea, Amy Huberman, Catherine Bohart, David McSavage, Deirdre O’Kane, Emma Doran, Jason Byrne, Martin Angolo, Paul Tylak, and Tony Cantwell.
“Survival of the Thickest”
Survival of the Thickest centers on Mavis Beaumont (Michelle Buteau). Black, plus-size and newly single (not by her choice!), Mavis unexpectedly finds herself having to rebuild her life as a struggling stylist. She’s determined to not only survive but thrive with the support of her chosen family, a body positive attitude, and a cute v-neck with some lip gloss. The scripted comedy is based on Buteau’s acclaimed book of essays.
Premieres on Netflix, July 13.
BBC Comedy Shorts
The BBC Comedy Short Film strand was created as a place for both new and established talent to develop and showcase exciting concepts that centre on originality and experimentation.
BBC Comedy joined forces with teams in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to capture the best ideas from across the UK.
The Shorts will be available on BBC iPlayer on Friday 26 May and will be shown on BBC Three in the coming months.
10 New and Returning Comedies for BBC
BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie unveiled 10 new and returning shows reinforcing the BBC’s commitment to producing original comedy content across the UK.
“The BBC remains the biggest single investor in original comedy content in the UK. We’re so proud of the depth and range of our offerings which champion British creativity and I’m delighted to announce five brand new shows and five much-loved returning series.”— Jon Petrie
I Literally Just Told You, Channel 4’s Jimmy Carr fronted primetime comedy gameshow will return for a third series.
The show, which was created by Richard Bacon and produced by Expectation, has seen audiences grow with each series on both linear viewing and VOD. The celebrity spin-off that aired at Christmas attracted 1.2m viewers and tripled the share of 16-34 year old viewers compared with the slot average.
In each episode four contestants have the opportunity to compete for a cash prize of up to £25,000 by answering questions that have been written live as the show is being filmed. The questions can be about absolutely anything that happens during the show, from a celebrity cameo to an off the cuff joke or even something one of the contestants has shared about themselves.
Voice Cast for Channel 4’s MOG
Claire Foy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adjoa Andoh, Miriam Margolyes, Maggie Steed, Zawe Ashton and Charlie Higson provide the voices for Channel 4’s and Universal Pictures Content Group’s special animated adaptation of Judith Kerr’s much-loved classic children’s book Mog’s Christmas from the producers of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Snowman and The Snowdog.
In Mog’s Christmas Mr and Mrs Thomas and their children Debbie and Nicky are busy making preparations for Christmas.
Part of C4’s Christmas Schedule
Man Like Mobeen hitting screens this June
The whole series will be released as a boxset on BBC iPlayer on Thursday 8 June, and will also launch that evening on BBC Three at 10pm,
We first met reformed drug-dealer Mobeen as he was trying to turn his life around living as a good Muslim, looking after his little sister, and trying to escape his troubled past.
"Good Omens" Season Two Debuts July 28
Season Two of Good Omens explores storylines that go beyond the original source material to illuminate the uncanny friendship between Aziraphale(Michael Sheen), a fussy angel and rare book dealer, and the fast-living demon Crowley (David Tennant). Having been on Earth since The Beginning, and with the Apocalypse thwarted, Aziraphale and Crowley are getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho when an unexpected messenger presents a surprising mystery.
Sky Hemorrhaging Bloods
It would appear that Sky has cut Bloods even though production had begun on the third series. The paramedic sitcom was launched to mixed reviews (see avingagiraffe’s here)
It wasn’t the worst comedy to hit our screens over the past two years. A second series was commissioned. As the competition amongst streamers and channels hots up, the bosses are being far quicker with the scalpel. Disney+ are slashing several of their latest offerings after just one series.
Television Comedy news 21.05.2023
Paramount Global launches its new Paramount+ With Showtime service in the US on June 27. It will be the company’s top-tier streaming service sans commercials.
In a statement, Tom Ryan, president and CEO of Paramount Streaming said, “This summer, Paramount+ will officially become the streaming home for Showtime, further advancing our lead in being the total household service. By integrating the Showtime premium and critically acclaimed portfolio with the service’s already broad and popular slate, all at a competitive price, we will solidify Paramount+ as a cornerstone in streaming.”
George Logan, who played Dr Evadne Hinge in the drag duo, Hinge and Bracket, has died at the age of 78. He starred in the comedy and musical act, with Patrick Fyffe who died in 2002 aged 60. They were well known in the 70s and 80s for their TV and radio shows on the BBC.
Arthur’s Whisky: a coming-of-age story with a twist starring Diane Keaton, Patricia Hodge and Lulu
Arthur’s Whisky is according to Sky, a charming, feel-good comedy about living in the moment. When Joan’s (Hodge) husband dies, she discovers he had invented an anti-aging elixir that literally takes the years off. Sharing it with her two friends Linda (Keaton) and Susan (Lulu), the three rejuvenated women waste no time in painting the town red, but they soon realise it’s a very different world to the one they remember.
Coming to Sky Cinema later this year.
Staged series 3 is coming to the BBC
A third series of show Staged is coming soon to BBC One and BBC iPlayer.David Tennant and Michael Sheen are once again joined by Georgia Tennant and Anna Lundberg for an exciting third series.
After a fallout with Michael and David, the director Simon tries his very best to get them to work on a project with him again, however this proves to be a difficult task. Watch the pair navigate life after lockdown in a hilarious third season.
Having started life during the pandemic, Staged was named Best Comedy at New York Festivals TV & Film Awards in 2022 and was also named Best Comedy at the Broadcasting Press Guild awards in 2021.
Created by Simon Evans and Phin Glynn, Staged (6 x 22) is written and directed by Simon Evans and is an Infinity Hill and GCB Films production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Produced by Phin Glynn, Victor Glynn and Georgia Tennant, the executive producer are David Tennant and Michael Sheen.
New comedy Such Brave Girls
Filming is underway on Kat Sadler’s new BBC Three comedy Such Brave Girls, produced by Various Artists Ltd in association with A24.
Such Brave Girls explores life and love in all its ugly chaos. Join Josie (Kat Sadler), Billie (played by her real life sister, Lizzie Davidson) and their mum, Deb (Louise Brealey) as they attempt to claw their way towards a better life. Armed only with an ability to see the line and boldly step over it, these very brave girls finally have a chance to explore themselves – but should they?
Kat Sadler says “Ultimately the show is a family sitcom about trauma, but it’s more about us being narcissistic losers who are pathetically obsessed with what people think about us.”
A dark comedic thriller, BASED ON A TRUE STORY is about a realtor, a former tennis star and a plumber who seize a unique opportunity to capitalize on America’s obsession with true crime.
Starring Emmy Award nominee Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant, BBT) stars as ‘Ava Bartlett,’ alongside Chris Messina (Air) as ‘Nathan’ and Tom Bateman (Thirteen Lives) as ‘Matt’, premieres on Peacock June 8th.
Creator / Showrunner / Executive Producer / Writer: Craig Rosenberg (The Boys, Gen V)
Executive Producers: Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan (Aggregate Films)
Star / Executive Producer: Kaley Cuoco
Director (101, 108) / Executive Producer (all eps): Alex Buono
Co-Executive Producers: Roxie Rodriguez (Aggregate Films) and Melissa Blake
More Murder They Hope
Gold is bringing back cherished characters Gemma (Sian Gibson) and Terry (Johnny Vegas) for a feature-length Christmas special (1×90″) BLOOD ACTUALLY: A ‘MURDER, THEY HOPE’ MYSTERY later this year. The pair will be spending their first Christmas together as a married couple and are once again thrown into the middle of a murderous catastrophe. The new special is co-produced by Tiger Aspect with Schnoobert Productions and is part of a double commission deal which will see a second stand-alone Murder, They Hope special (1×90″) return in 2024.
BLOOD ACTUALLY: A ‘MURDER, THEY HOPE’ MYSTERY will air on Gold later this year. The second stand alone special will air in 2024. This is the latest commission from UKTV’s comedy channel Gold following recently announced Alison and Larry: Billericay to Barry, airing later this year.
Johnny Vegas says
I’m over the moon to be back again with the crew for these Murder, They Hope specials. To be working with Sian is brilliant and each instalment just keeps getting better. There’s so much for the viewers to look forward to in this one and I’m excited to get cracking
Sian Gibson added
So excited to be back with my old mate Johnny Vegas and a hilariously fabulous cast for another instalment of Murder, They Hope. There’s going to be more laughs, dramas and more horrific killing sprees, fun for all the family. Can’t wait to get started.
The Christmas special will see the Draper-Bremmers joined by several new famous faces including, Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous), Robert Webb (Peep Show), Rose Ayling-Ellis (Eastenders), Samuel Anderson (Trollied) and Clive Russell (Game of Thrones) as they investigate festive-fuelled murders that occur on their Christmas getaway. With further names to be announced soon…
Murder, They Hope favourites Lee Mack (Not Going Out), Sherrie Hewson (Coronation Street, Benidorm) and Sarah Hadland (Miranda) are also returning to join in the fun.
Over the course of various Santa parades, present giving events and competitive Christmas challenges things start to take a very dark turn. Gemma (Sian Gibson) tries her best to salvage their Christmas as the bodies start piling up, but can Terry (Johnny Vegas) finish preparing the Christmas dinner of his dreams and solve the murders in time?
The two new specials, which will air in 2023 and 2024 respectively, return to the original feature-length format of the Jason Cook penned originals which included standout hits Murder on the Blackpool Express, Death on the Tyne and Dial M for Middlesbrough before the show’s spin off Murder, They Hope enjoyed two series on Gold.
Jason Cook says
I am thrilled to be bringing back Gemma and Terry for Gold and even more excited that we are starting with the holy grail of television: The Christmas Special. It’s also hugely exciting that television titans Tiger Aspect are co-producing the show with my new production company Schnoobert Productions. We have crammed as much Christmas into this as possible so I hope it proves to be a (blood soaked) Christmas present that all the family will enjoy watching!
Sir Lenny to meet other Legends of Comedy
In Legends of Comedy with Lenny Henry, the award-winning comedian, actor and writer meets four of the country’s most iconic comedians to explore just how to make comedy gold. Each episode sees Lenny carve up the career and work of his funny guest, taking a deep dive to discover how they – and other comedy icons – made their mark.
With a mix of in-depth, illuminating chats, archive clips and loads of laughs, the series is an entertaining ride into the true genius of comedy.
The stars featured in Legends of Comedy with Lenny Henry are Paul Whitehouse, Sally Phillips, Romesh Ranganathan and Alexei Sayle.
Sir Lenny Henry said: “It was great fun spending time with my friends and hearing about what makes them laugh and what they take inspiration from. I hope the audience enjoys it as much as I did.”
Winners of the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises and BAFTA Television Craft Awards, celebrating the very best in TV of 2022.
The BAFTA Television Awards, hosted by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, took place on
Sunday 14 May.
Catherine Tate to Reprise Donna Noble
An enthralling look of what’s to come with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, alongside Catherine Tate who has reprised her role as Donna Noble, with further teasers of other epic moments which include leading stars Neil Patrick Harris and Yasmin Finney who step into the world of Doctor Who for the 60th anniversary special episodes.
Russell T Davies, Showrunner says: “The titles are just the beginning of the Doctor’s biggest adventure yet. Autumn is coming, with three hours of danger, Donna and disaster about to be unleashed!” Doctor Who returns in November 2023
A new comedy, Extended Family, is coming to NBC and Peacock this autumn.
Starring Jon Cryer, Extended Family is a new multi-cam comedy centered around the shifting family dynamics following a good-natured divorce — and the surprisingly hilarious moments that come with co-parenting. The gags on Extended Family will be messy, endearing, and packed with hilarity, and you won’t want to miss them!
The official synopsis for Extended Family teases: “After an amicable divorce, Jim and Julia decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing gets more complicated for Jim when Trey, the owner of his favorite sports team, enters the picture and wins Julia’s heart.”
An official premiere date for Extended Family has yet to be announced, but it will air some time in late 2023. Check back here for updates. Extended Family will air Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC and can be streamed the following day on Peacock.
High Desert Premieres May 17th AppleTV+
“High Desert” follows Peggy (Patricia Arquette), an on-again-off-again addict who decides to make a new start after the death of her beloved mother, with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California, and makes a life-changing decision to become a private investigator.
In The Change, created and written by, Bridget Christie she plays Linda who decides to claw back some of the time she’s spent doing ‘invisible work’ over the years (not all 3.5 million minutes, just 131,500 of them) to do something for herself… for a change. 
Dusting off her old Triumph motorbike, she heads to the Forest of Dean in an attempt to reconnect with the person that she used to be – potentially by way of finding the time capsule that she hid up a tree when she was 10. She decides to not be entirely truthful about who she is, however, as soon as she arrives in the forest, with its community of eccentrics, artists, eel fisherwomen, musicians, misfits and the odd bigot, Linda stumbles upon an altogether broader sense of purpose.
With her beloved forest endangered by a new development, and surprising new friendships blossoming within the town, Linda finds herself unexpectedly welcomed into this world. But will the white lies she’s told come back to haunt her?
As well as Christie in the lead role as Linda, the cast includes Omid Djalili as her husband Steve, Monica Dolan (W1A) as Carmel, James Howick (Ghosts) as Verderer, Tanya Moodie (Motherland) as Joy, Jerome Flynn (Ripper Street) as Pig Man and Liza Tarbuck (Upstart Crow) plays Siobhain, Linda’s older sister.
Royal Mail Has A Cunning Plan
To mark the 40th anniversary of Blackadder, yes 40 years!, Royal Mail is releasing a collection of special stamps on May 17th. The acclaimed sitcom, covering hundreds of years of British history from Richard III to the second world war, over four series, was first broadcast on 15 June 1983.
Now, 40 years later, some of it’s most famous scenes have made it on to eight new stamps which will appeal to fans and philatelists alike.
A further four stamps depicting Rowan Atkinson in his various Edmund Blackadder guises will also be launched.
FOX Entertainment has renewed workplace comedy Animal Control, starring Emmy Award nominee Joel McHale, for a second season, it was announced today. The single-camera show, FOX’s first wholly owned live-action comedy, launched as the network’s most-streamed scripted debut ever and most-watched comedy series this season to date.
Explore the nominations for the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises and BAFTA Television Craft Awards, celebrating the very best in TV of 2022.
The BAFTA Television Awards, hosted by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, take place on
Sunday 14 May.
Deli Boys pilot goes to series
Onyx Collective has taken Deli Boys comedy pilot to series. Starring Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, Alfie Fuller, Poorna Jagannathan and new series regular Brian George, Deli Boys, from 20th Television, will stream exclusively on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US.
In order to reduce operating costs Disney+ is removing some of the little-watched titles that are too costly to maintain due to residuals, royalties, music licensing fees and other costs.
Removing content from the service goes hand in glove with making less new content, or, as CEO, Bob Iger, put it, the company was “getting much more surgical about what we make.” He added that the company had spent a lot of time and financial resources producing and marketing content that didn’t “move the needle” in terms of subscribers.
The streamer recently cancelled Willow and National Treasure after one season.
CFO Christine McCarthy said, “We are in the process of reviewing the content on our DTC (direct-to-consumer)services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation.” Adding, “going forward, we intend to produce lower volumes of content in alignment with this strategic shift.”
Big Shot [Disney+]Turner & Hooch [Disney+]The Mysterious Benedict Society [Disney+]The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers [Disney+]Willow [Disney+]The Making Of Willow [Disney+]Diary of a Future President [Disney+]Just Beyond [Disney+]The World According to Jeff Goldblum [Disney+]Marvel’s Project Hero [Disney]Marvel’s MPower [Disney+]Marvel’s Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever [Disney+]Rosaline [Disney+]Cheaper by the Dozen remake [Disney+]The One and Only Ivan [Disney+]Stargirl [Disney+]Encore! [Disney+]A Spark Story [Disney+]Black Beauty [Disney+]Clouds [Disney+]Weird but True! [Disney+]Timmy Failure [Disney+]Be Our Chef [Disney+]Magic Camp [Disney+]Howard [Disney+]Earth to Ned [Disney+]Foodtastic [Disney+]Stuntman [Disney+]Disney Fairy Tale Weddings [Disney+]Wolfgang [Disney+]It’s a Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer [Disney+]The Premise [Hulu]Love in the Time of Corona [Hulu]Everything’s Trash [Hulu]Best in Snow [Hulu]Best in Dough [Hulu]Maggie [Hulu]Dollface [Hulu]The Quest [Hulu]The Hot Zone [Nat Geo/Hulu]Y: The Last Man [FX/Hulu]Pistol [FX/Hulu]Little Demon [FX/Hulu]
Frosty Comedy Drama
Currently watching A Touch of Frost on ITVX. Starring David Jason as DI Frost this is a good drama but more than that its’s a pretty good comedy. First appearing in 1992, it is of course almost a period piece now. No reliance on the internet, no scouring through social media, no national DNA database: just ‘old fashioned’ policing using landlines and two-way radios for communication.
Frost is an irreverent, insubordinate character who suffers fools badly and superiors even more so. He delivers frequent put downs and humorous asides that are funnier than a lot of lines in many of the current crop of, so called, comedy dramas. Today it would easily get a four-star rating. Also have fun spotting all the, now, well known actors at the beginning of their careers
ITVX is free to watch with ads, of which there are a lot, so try the 7-day free trial, premium ad free version. There’s some excellent content of which A Touch of Frost is just one example.
‘The Full Monty’: Disney+ Unveils Trailer
Disney+ has revealed first trailer for its Full Monty reboot, coming 25 years after the iconic movie.
The 90-second teaser features all the returning cast including Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy and Lesley Sharp, while showcasing newcomer Talitha Wing (Alex Rider), who will play Gaz’s teenage daughter, Destiny Schofield.
Fans of hit BBC Three comedy series, ‘Man Like Mobeen’, can apply for free tickets to attend an exclusive, glitzy red-carpet preview event at The Bond in Digbeth, Birmingham on Tuesday 23 May.
The event will be held Tickets are available via the BBC Shows and Tours website applications close at 10am on 17th May
Disney+ has announced that FX’s “The Bear,” the award-winning hit series is set to premiere its hotly anticipated second season on 19th July exclusively on Disney+. All 10 episodes will be available at premiere.
Season two follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they work to transform their grimy sandwich joint into a next-level spot. As they strip the restaurant down to its bones, the crew undertakes transformational journeys of their own, each forced to confront the past and reckon with who they want to be in the future.
The Outlaws Rides Again
The BBC and Prime Video announce a third series of Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws from Big Talk and Four Eyes.
Full story here
Comedy ‘Poppa’s House’ Gets Series At CBS
Poppa’s House is a multi-camera comedy starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr.
Wayans plays legendary talk radio host and happily divorced Poppa, who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son, played by Wayans Jr., a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband.
Somebody Call For A Taxi?
Forty years after the comedy, Taxi, ended its five-season run, several of the stars gathered for a reunion lunch. In a photo Danza shared on Twitter, the actor is seen having drinks with his former Sunshine Cab Company co-stars Carol Kane, Christopher Lloyd and Judd Hirsch.
Missing were Danny DeVito and Mary Lou Henna. Andy Kaufman who played Latka, the mechanic, died from lung cancer in 1984 a year after the show finished after over 100 episodes.
All five seasons of the show are currently streaming on Paramount Plus.
Comedy News 08.05.2023
Emmy-winning actor Jharrel Jerome stars in the fantastical coming-of-age comedy, I’m A Virgo, from filmmaker Boots Riley
I’m A Virgo is a darkly comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, the real-life superhero named The Hero, played by Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, The Righteous Gemstones). I’m A Virgo is a mythical odyssey that questions the purpose of the mythical odyssey.
Premieres June 23rd Prime Video
Review: Black Ops
Dom (GBEMISOLA IKUMELO), Kay (HAMMED ANIMASHAUN),BBC,Gary MoyesCalls for Kat Fall Silent
Cr: Lisa Rose/FOX.Fox has cancelled Call Me Kat after three seasons. The news came the day after the Mayim Bialik sitcom aired its last original episode, with an average audience of 2.3 million.
Fox issued a statement saying, ““We are very proud of Call Me Kat but, unfortunately, the audience response to it was not as strong as we had hoped.”
The show was based on the BBC, UK show, Miranda starring Miranda Hart who was an exec producer of Call Me Kat
Barry Humphries to be honoured
Barry Humphries will receive a state funeral in Australia, said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a visit to Britain, where Humphries enjoyed much success.
Albanese said a state funeral would recognise the comedian’s contribution to stage, screen and country.
Another course for Big Zu
UKTV’s BAFTA award-winning series Big Zuu’s Big Eats will be back and bigger than ever for a fourth series (8×40′) this Autumn on Dave and UKTV Play.
TV chef and presenter Big Zuu returns with friends Tubsey and Hyder as they fire up the food truck at Big Eats HQ. In a twist on the critically-acclaimed format, Zuu’s dinner guests will now come to the Big Eats house for the ultimate foodie experience.
BBC Silly Tuckers For Not Renewing
The Tuckers, the sitcom set in the Welsh valleys created by Steve Speirs, has been cancelled by the BBC after three excellent series.
Spiers has posted on Twitter: “For all those asking about the next series of TUCKERS…Sadly, Its not been recommissioned. To everyone who followed the lives of Peggy, Billy,Bobby, Nats, Shaks, Lush, Clock , Dawn and Melvyn… THANK YOU ( I’m sure Glyn and Murphy are still arguing down that bog as I type) xx”
The third series is available on iPlayer but hopefully the Beeb will make all three available.
ITVX commissions a brand new comedy - G’wed
According to ITVX G’wed is ‘an uplifting, heart-warming and hilarious portrayal of teenagers today and how they view the world. ‘
Set in Liverpool and filmed entirely on location, in and around the city, the series will feature an exciting cast of fresh, young local talent.
It delves into the working class culture of “surviving with a sense of humour”. The distinctive voice of Liverpool and the lived experience of the kids from the city will be at the heart of this comedy, tackling big issues like grief, sex, diversity and class differences with a wicked sense of humour.
From Reece, the anti-hero at the heart of the show, a superficially misbehaving, potty-mouthed lad, who constantly surprises, whether that be quoting Mother Teresa, his knowledge of the work of John Steinbeck or his incredibly mature take on grief, to Aimee – ferociously determined, go-getting and emotionally mature – G’wed showcases a part of the country, and a bunch of characters, you rarely see on TV.
The series is produced by Golden Path Productions Ltd and written by Liverpool native Danny Kenny. The Executive Producer is Mario Stylianides.
Writers Guild of America strikes.
News of the strike, which takes effect later this evening (May 2), came late Monday after the guild’s negotiations with the AMPTP failed to reach an agreement on a new film and scripted TV contract.
Writers say they’re fighting for their livelihoods against billion-dollar studios and streamers who have been squeezing writers whilst increasing profits.
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Season 16 Premiers June 7
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns for season 16 on Wednesday, June 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FXX and streaming the next day on Hulu. The premiere will include the first two episodes, with a new episode each following week. Season 16 of Sunny will be available on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories.
‘Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love’
NBC aired Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT, averaging the highest broadcast audience of the night with 7.6M viewers, according to live+same-day Nielsen data.
The special featured appearances from a host of A-listers including Amy Poehler, Bob Mackie, Bob Odenkirk, Charlize Theron, Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Julie Andrews, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Lily Tomlin, Lisa Kudrow, and many more.
An extended version is currently available on Peacock.
Rana (Taj Atwell) Toni (Leah Brotherhead) Paula (Sinead Matthews)
Tom Bennett
Sam SwainsburyTom Bennett and Sam Swainsbury join returning cast members, RTS Award nominated Leah Brotherhead, Sinead Matthews, BAFTA Award nominated Taj Atwal, Perry Fitzpatrick, Yanick Ghanty, Natalie Davies, Felicity Montagu and Shobna Gulati for the laugh-out- loud, chaotic comedy that embodies the ups and downs of life, friendship, and family.
Comedy news 28.04.2023
The second series, which has wrapped, sees Toni (Leah Brotherhead) and Craig’s (Perry Fitzpatrick) family growing with baby no. 2 on the way, despite Toni’s denial. Paula (Sinead Matthews) and Dane (Yanick Ghanty) are coming to terms with Ashley (Natalie Davies) growing up and moving out, and Rana (Taj Atwal) has her eyes opened by her mum, Nima (Shobna Gulati), revealing the secret to hitting your absolute peak during your menopause years.
Tom Bennett will play John Fox, the new love interest for Craig’s mum Gloria (Felicity Montagu). The pair could not be more perfectly suited despite the 15-year age gap but how will Craig deal with this new father figure in his life? Sam Swainsbury takes on the role of Pickles, Rana’s new police partner. The pair are chalk and cheese in a standard issue police car, but will these two opposites eventually attract?
BAFTA award winning actor and writer Gbemisola Ikumelo (Famalam, A League of Their Own), Hammed Animashaun (Black Mirror, The Wheel of Time) and BAFTA award winning actor and producer Akemnji Ndifornyen (Famalam, The Queen’s Gambit) star in the comedy thriller, Black Ops.
Coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Friday 5th May
Created by Gbemisola Ikumelo and Akemnji Ndifornyen, the six-part thriller is set in East London and tells the story of Dom and Kay, two Police Community Support Officers who join the Met Police in the hope of cleaning up their community. However, they quickly find themselves unwittingly thrust into the murky world of deep cover infiltration. For Dom and Kay their lives become more of a fiasco than Donnie Brasco.
Dom, played by Ikumelo, is feisty and takes no nonsense while Animashaun plays Kay her naïve, but surprisingly capable partner who lives with his church elder. The pair are soon thrust into a high stakes secret mission where they find themselves out of their depth facing one of the leaders of the Brightmarsh gang, Tevin, played by Ndifornyen.
The supporting cast includes Ariyon Bakare (His Dark Materials), Joanna Scanlan (After Love); Robbie Gee (Motherland), Jo Martin (Holby City), Felicity Montagu (This Time With Alan Partridge), Colin Hoult (After Life), Jaz Hutchins (Peacock), Rufus Jones (Home), Lucian Msamati (Gangs of London), Katherine Kelly (Innocent), Alex Macqueen (The Thick of It), Emma Sidi (Starstruck), Tyger Drew-Honey (Outnumbered), Alan Ford (Snatch), Kerry Howard (Him & Her) and Zoë Wanamaker (Shadow and Bone).
Believer or Non-believer
Adam Brody will star alongside Kristen Bell in an as yet untitled comedy from creator Erin Foster and executive producer Steven Levitan. The series is centered on the unlikely relationship between an outspoken, agnostic woman (Bell) and an unconventional rabbi (Brody) who is stuck in his ways and used to playing things safe, according to Netflix. “He starts to stumble when he meets a brutally honest and proactive Joanne, totally upending his safe life plan.”
ITV orders series 3 of
The 1% Club
Award winning, hit ITV game show The 1% Club, hosted by Bafta nominated Lee Mack and produced by Magnum Media, is to return for a bumper third series. Series three will see episodes, going from 8 to 16 and there will be two Christmas specials for this year and 2024.
First commissioned and aired by UTV in late 2022, the series showcases the vibrant Northern Ireland comedy scene, with the best local talent and other stand-up artists from further afield, all of which brings giggles and belly laughs as they share their unique observations.
The four episodes capture highlights of a typical ‘comedy club’ night but also delve into the lives of the comedians behind the scenes. Each evening is hosted by a well-known face who joins the rest of the cast off stage to chat about what it’s like trying to survive the circuit!
In the first episode Belfast comedian Paddy McDonnell is our MC. He’s joined by local actress and comedian Diona Doherty, Kildare native Emman Idama, and Belfast’s Paddy Raff.
BAFTA Fellowship for Meera
(Photo by BAFTA/Rachell Smith)Meera Syal CBE will be presented with a BAFTA Fellowship at the forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises. It is the highest accolade bestowed by BAFTA upon an individual
The Full Monty, the eight-part follow-up to the BAFTA-winning movie. FX has released some of the first images from the series that will premiere in June (date TBA) and stream exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu.
Set 25 years after the film, the eight-episode series will follow the same band of brothers as they navigate the post-industrial city of Sheffield and society’s crumbling healthcare, education, and employment sectors. The comedy-drama will uncover what happened to the gang after they put their kit back on, exploring their brighter, sillier and more desperate moments. It will also highlight how the fiercely funny world of these working-class heroes – still residing in Sheffield – has changed in the intervening decades.
Lead cast reprising their roles include Robert Carlyle as “Gaz,” Mark Addy as “Dave,” Lesley Sharp as “Jean,” Hugo Speer as “Guy,” Paul Barber as “Horse,” Steve Huison as “Lomper,” Wim Snape as “Nathan” and Tom Wilkinson as “Gerald.”
The image (right) also introducesTalitha Wing (Wolfe, Alex Rider), as Gaz’s teenage daughter, “Destiny”
New cast members include Paul Clayton as Lomper’s husband, “Dennis.” Miles Jupp stars as recent divorcee and housing officer “Darren,” who looks up to the Monty men for advice on navigating adult life. Sophie Stanton plays “Hetty,” a colleague and friend of Jean, and Phillip Rhys Chaudhary joins as “Dilip,” Deputy Headteacher at the school.
First timers Dominic Sharkey and Natalie Davies appear as Destiny’s mates “Cal” and “Tabani”, alongside Arnold Oceng, a talented graffiti artist. Aiden Cook stars as wise-cracking twelve-year-old “Dean/‘Twiglet,’” while Tupele Dorgu portrays Destiny’s mother, “Yaz.”
Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West to star in Big Mood
Big Mood explores the nuances of female friendship when threatened by the complexities of serious mental illness.
A series of chaotic events put Maggie (Nicola Coughlan) and Eddie’s (Lydia West) decade-long friendship to the test. With the pair at a pivotal point in their lives, and Maggie’s bipolar disorder making an unwelcome return, Eddie begins to question whether this friendship is really in their best interests.
Joining the series’ ensemble is Niamh Cusack (The Virtues), Eamon Farren (The Witcher), Luke Fetherston (Flowers in the Attic: The Origin), Kate Fleetwood (Wheel of Time), Rob Gilbert (Big Boys), Rebecca Lowman (Prime Suspect), Sally Phillips (Veep), Ukweli Roach (Wolf) and Amalia Vitale (Willow).
Comedy News 27.04.2023
Norwegian Afterglow
The BBC has acquired Norwegian comedy drama Afterglow for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.
The 7×45 series tells the story of Ester Sand (Nina Ellen Odegaard), the one person you think will live forever, who finds out she has cervical cancer on her 40th birthday. But after the initial shock, it’s Ester who comforts the people in her life and she has no intention of leaving the world just yet. Afterglow is a story of love and life and all of the glorious and silly things we do before we die.
Afterglow stars Nina Ellen Odegaard, Torbjorn Harr, Sara Khorami and Hermann Sabado.
Roz Is Back
Peri Gilpin, who played Roz Doyle, Frasier Crane’s radio producer on the long-running NBC series, will make a guest appearance on the sequel, currently in production. She’s the second original Frasier cast member to sign for the new show, joining Bebe Neuwirth as Frasier’s ex-wife, Lilith.
Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News
Extraordinary 2 Wraps
Siobhán McSweeney posted this image on TwitterThe second series of Emma Moran’s Extraordinary has wrapped. See review of S1 here
This exceptionally original series stars (R-L) Máiréad Tyers, Sofia Oxenham, Bilal Hasna, Siobhán McSweeney, Luke Rollason and also Darcey Porter-Cassidy.
Watch out for Disney+ broadcast details.
Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News Comedy News
TV Comedy News TV Comedy News TV Comedy News TV Comedy News TV Comedy News TV Comedy News TV Comedy
