Big Boys returns to Channel 4 and it's bigger and better than ever

23 August 2022

Praise for series 1

 

The Guardian

Best TV of 2022 so far

"Warm and witty sitcom tackles coming out and coming of age”

 

The Times

“A tender, poignant tale of troubled teenage years”

 

Independent

“Jack Rooke’s sprightly comedy will be your next coming-of-age obsession”

 

Evening Standard

“This heart-warming comedy explores grief and young men’s mental health struggles with wry humour”

 

Jack Rooke’s critically acclaimed comedy, from Roughcut TV, will return to Channel 4 for a second series.

 

Jack Rooke, creator and writer said: “The response to Big Boys series 1 has been so phenomenally kind, heartwarming and beyond anything any of us could have hoped for, the fact we got onto Gogglebox is probably the proudest moment of mine and my mum's lives (she got over 100 likes on Facebook for it!) And so after a huge spitroast at Harvester, I decided I probably do have some more embarrassing stories about me & my mates to mine for comic material so get ready for an even more cringe second year at Brent University.”

Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy at Channel 4 said: "I'm so happy to confirm that Big Boys is returning. This is one of my first commissions as Head of Comedy at Channel 4 and it fits squarely into what I think makes the greatest comedy; so much heart blended with so much silliness. Jack is a very special person. I can't wait for what's to come in series two."

Ash Atalla, Managing Director, Roughcut TV said: “Big Boys comes from the heart and soul of Jack Rooke and we’re so happy to bring it back.  We promise more sex, drugs and tears in series 2.”

Big Boys is created and written by Jack Rooke, executive produced by Ash Atalla and Alex Smith for Roughcut and commissioned for Channel 4 by Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy, Joe Hullait, Commissioning Executive for Comedy and Fiona McDermott, former Head of Comedy.

About Channel 4

 

Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

 

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

 

Through a unique publisher-broadcaster model, Channel 4 commissions its content from the UK independent production sector. Working with around 300 creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

 

In 2020, Channel 4 launched its Future4 strategy to become a digital-first public service media company and to continue to deliver significant impact for UK audiences and investment into the UK creative economy.

 

Across its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is turbocharging its efforts to find, nurture and develop talent across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills, Channel 4 is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people, and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions.

 

Channel 4 has the UK’s biggest free streaming service, All 4, plus 11 television channels including: Channel 4, E4, E4 Extra, More4, Film4, 4Seven and The Box Plus Network. Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 37 Oscar wins and 84 BAFTA wins in its history.

 

https://www.channel4.com/

 

About Roughcut TV

Roughcut Television is one of the UK’s fastest growing independent production companies and one of the biggest producers of scripted comedy. The company is rapidly expanding into drama with script commissions for various UK broadcasters.

Established in 2007 by Ash Atalla and Tim Sealey, the company has been leading the comedy space with multi award-winning productions that include; three-time BAFTA award-winning STATH LETS FLATS (Channel 4), two-time BAFTA winning PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING, CUCKOO (BBC3), TROLLIED (SKY1) and JERK (BBC3). Roughcut’s first feature - PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING: BIG IN JAPAN was released in UK cinemas nationwide in summer 2021. The first series of BLOODS, aired on Sky1 in May 2021 and starred BAFTA-nominated Samson Kayo (Famalam, Timewasters) and Golden Globe-nominated Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous, Little Voice). The second series of BLOODS aired on SKY1 in Spring 2022 with a further five episodes to air in September 2022. The first series streamed to huge critical acclaim on Hulu in the US, December 2021.

STATH LETS FLATS aired on Channel4 in October 2021, while series one aired on HBO MAX in the US in November 2020. JERK 2, starring Tim Renkow, Sharon Rooney, Rob Madin and Lorraine Bracco aired on BBC One and BBC Three in August. A US format of the show is currently in development. 

The first series of BIG BOYS, written and narrated by Jack Rooke, starred Dylan Llewellyn, Jonathan Pointing and Camille Coduri for Channel4 and aired in May 2022 to huge critical acclaim.  SNEAKERHEAD, a three-parter for UKTV/DAVE and starring Hugo Chegwin and Big Zuu aired in July 2022.

Previous successes include TROLLIED for Sky One, which broke records as the highest-rated multichannel comedy launch in British TV history. Roughcut TV also made US-based multi-cam comedy I LIVE WITH MODELS (Comedy Central), HOSPITAL PEOPLE (BBC1), CARTERS GET RICH (SKY1) TOP COPPERS, a cop film spoof (BBC3) and WORLD’S CRAZIEST FOOLS (BBC3), starring Mr. T.  In addition, Roughcut TV has made pilots for US formats of CUCKOO for NBC and PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING for Amazon.