BBC - Commissioning - Comedy on BBC Two

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Comedy on BBC Two

• See all BBC Two briefs

Controller: Cheryl Taylor

Overview

BBC Two offers a hugely varied and distinctive mix of comedy - from the UK's most established and celebrated writers and performers to those who are brand new to the genre.  In the last 18 months BBC Two has created a home for a range of high calibre single camera shows (Rev, Grandma's House, Roger & Val Have Just Got In, Episodes, The Trip and The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff), sketch-shows (Watson & Oliver and Harry & Paul) and scripted comedy-entertainment (Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Charlie Brooker's How TV Ruined Your Life).

We are keen to build on these successes and the channel as the unrivalled destination for smart and popular comedy.  New ideas should be unashamedly funny, confident, colourful and diverse with the potential for mass appeal.  Two can nurture a wide range of performers and writers on the cusp of mainstream recognition as well as practitioners with more niche appeal.  Both Miranda and Psychoville can thrive on BBC Two and we want to unearth the next popular sensation as well as propagate the new cult comedy.

The Audience

Our audience on BBC Two deeply appreciates comedy and it connects particularly with demanding twenty and thirty year old viewers. The success of Miranda demonstrates the audience responds very positively to personality-led mainstream offerings as well as quieter, more authored pieces.

Our recent commissions

The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff – Originating on BBC Radio Four, Mark Blake’s comedy parody of period dramas transferred to BBC Two as a Christmas special which drew in 1.93m (7.9% share) with the first episode of the series pulling in 1.5m (6.3%).

Rev – Written by James Wood, directed by Peter Cattaneo and starring Tom Hollander, Rev was the first series commissioned by the BBC from Big Talk Productions. The BAFTA and RTS Award nominated show drew in an impressive 2.23m (11% share) for its opening episode and maintained an average of 1.7m (8.2% share) with the second series retaining its figures and share. Rev is a firm BBC Two favourite.

Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle – With a confident mix of funny, intelligent and dry wit, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle is the epitome of highly authored comedic voice; an original, distinctive flavour which has helped reinforce BBC Two’s reputation as the home of double-take comedy. Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle was commissioned expressly for a low-cost, late-night slot on BBC Two and we are proud to have committed to two further series.

The Trip – Semi-improvised comedy The Trip starred Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, and was directed by film-maker Michael Winterbottom. The first commission by the BBC from Revolution Films, the BAFTA-nominated series drew in 2.09m (10.5% share) for its first episode and has been commissioned for a second series.

Watson & Oliver – After three consecutive sell-out shows at Edinburgh Fringe festival, sketch duo Ingrid Oliver and Lorna Watson were picked by BBC Comedy following a call for more female led comedy. After a successful non-TX pilot, a full series of Watson & Oliver launched directly onto BBC Two, displaying a delicious mix of colourful characters, bold sketches and inventively fun entertainment, playing in both pre and post-watershed slots.  

Comedy - BBC Two Studio Audience Sitcom - 6 x 30'

Tariff range: £180k - £230k

We are looking to top up the BBC Two mix with noisy, bold, iconic and engaging new ideas focussing on deliveries for Spring 2013 and beyond.

Originality and authorship are likely to be key to any successful commission, but new projects must also show the potential to grow into popular as well as creative successes, capable of delivering substantial audiences on a par with other genres on the channel. Female-led comedy remains an important part of the mix and we would also like to encourage Entertainment/Comedy hybrids with an attractive price tag.

Comedy - BBC Two Single Camera Sitcom – 6 x 30’

Tariff range: £180k-£200k

Comedy on BBC Two should jump off the screen and be laugh-out-loud. We need low-cost, inventive single-camera comedies with engaging protagonists at their heart. Most of our mix on BBC Two is single-camera, so ideas will have to fight especially hard to make it to screen.

Where are the opportunities available?

There are opportunities in the In-house Guarantee, Independent and WoCC in 13/14.  We encourage offers from both Indie and In-house suppliers to fulfil our Nations quota.

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 Two service strategy?

If you would like to know more about Janice Hadlow's BBC Two channel strategy, please visit the BBC Two page.