BBC - Commissioning Briefs - Comedy on BBC Three

What We Want

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Comedy on BBC Three

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Controller: Cheryl Taylor

Overview

Comedy on BBC Three should be bristling with experimental ambition and creative confidence. We want it to take risks with bold new talent both on and off screen and we are looking for inventive and dazzlingly funny projects that have bags of attitude and potential for high impact.
Comedy continues to deliver youthful mainstream successes such as Him & Her and White Van Man as well as the brand new Pramface. They each combine original ideas, talented new casts and high quality production values.

The Audience

The BBC Three audience responds to shows with a bold premise, real energy and plenty of humour, that present the world from a distinctive, but relatable point of view. They can be high- or low- concept but must connect with the lives and aspirations of a young and young-at-heart audience.

Our recent commissions

Pramface – A fresh new six-part comedy series for BBC Three about two very different teenagers trying to come to terms with impending parenthood. It is written by Chris Reddy and is the first co-production between BBC Comedy and Little Comet. As a first-run series Pramface drew in an impressive 469k (1.37% share) for its opening episode and continued to grow across the series. Pramface will be returning to our screens later in the year.

Pramface607
White Van Man – Written by stand-up comedian Adrian Poynton and starring Will Mellor, White Van Man was developed as a low-cost pilot for BBC Three and was quickly commissioned for a series, becoming one of the most successful first run comedies on the channel. Series one drew in an impressive 755k (5.3% share) with more than 2m viewers in consolidated figures across the series, and maintained consistently strong figures into the second series.
White Van Man

Him & Her – Written by Stefan Golaszewski, starring Russell Tovey & Sarah Solemani, Him & Her is a bold single-camera sitcom which despite being set in the confines of a small flat maintains its energy and high laughter rate throughout. Across the first series it averaged 594k (3.9% share) and increased its audience figures and share to 606k (3.9% share), peaking at 644k (4.3% share) and maintaining a strong audience across the series. Him & Her will be returning to our screens later in the year.

Him and Her

Commissioning slots

Comedy - BBC Three Studio Audience Sitcoms – 6 x 30’

Tariff range: £180k - £220k

BBC Three audiences want to be surprised and thrilled with studio comedy which must be innovative, laugh-out-loud and edgy without being patronising. That’s likely to mean post-watershed ideas which resonate with the audience’s lives and experience. We’d like to see the Nations and English Regions better represented in the offers we receive, with a modern, diverse element to the fore.

Comedy - BBC Three Single Camera Sitcoms – 6 x 30’

Tariff range: £100k-£210k

BBC Three is keen to continue to encourage scripts for well-crafted single-camera comedies that deliver a strong laugh-rate. Lower-cost ideas which present a robust and engaging comedy world but which don't stint on quality are always welcomed. Gavin and Stacey showed what a BBC Three comedy hit could look like – we would love more ideas of equivalent ambition and appeal.

Where are the opportunities available?

A range of opportunities are available with the focus on regional and Nations production in13/14. There is a specific opportunity for a series from Northern Ireland.

How should I submit my ideas and who should I pitch to?

All proposals should be submitted via the e-commissioning system to the relevant genre controller or commissioner. Take a look at the Who's Who for the latest comedy commissioning team contacts.

Want to know more about the broader BBC Three service strategy?

If you would like to know more about Zai Bennett's's BBC Three channel strategy, please visit the BBC Three page.

BBC - Commissioning - Comedy on BBC Three