Bring on the Blaps

6 October 2014

 

Channel 4’s online comedy showcase Comedy Blaps returns to dole out another dangerously unique round of brilliance, with a new trio of original programmes from some of the UK’s most talented rising stars.

Monday 6th October 2014   Today sees the launch of a trio of mini-series, the first one, ‘Chewing Gum’ penned by award-winning writer/performer Michaela Coel and based on her life growing up on an East London housing estate. Next up is a comedy mockumentary ‘Lives of the Infamous’ from writer/performers David Crow, Jim Howick and Oliver Maltman; a retrospective of gentlemen gangsters the Wanger Brothers in London’s swinging 60s. The final offering, ‘Flavours’ comes from the minds of writer/performers Miles Chapman and Mark O’Sullivan and looks at four people attempting to discover what floats their respective boats.

Commissioned by the C4 Comedy Department working with Multiplatform Commissioning Editor for Comedy & Entertainment Jody Smith, Comedy Blaps are a series of short form videos available on Channel 4.com as well as YouTube, Vimeo and as a podcast on iTunes and Feedburner.

Phil Clarke, Head of Comedy at Channel 4 said: “This outstanding line-up of emerging talent, often collaborating with established names, adds to our growing school of vibrant short-form comedy. It gives voice to original and sometimes experimental ideas. But also provides the first step on the television career ladder, and can quickly lead to larger projects. Michaela Coel’s blap ‘Chewing Gum’ has already gained an E4 series commission, which she is now busy writing. Similarly the hidden camera Comedy Blap ‘Bad Robots’ led to another series commission on E4. The show was filmed over the summer, and the series and the blap will be going out later this year.”

 

Chewing Gum

Embed Code: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?action_edit=1&list=PLGmQ1G5rNbwRbc09tugyBY0vQGrztWHVY

Award winning playwright/actress Michaela Coel plays Tracey, a religious Beyoncé-obsessed 22-year-old who quickly realises that the more she learns about the world, the less she understands. Her mates have all gone in different directions, work, Uni, even parenthood, but the one thing they still have in common is the rut they’re all wedged into. But Tracey is capable of more…

Adapted from Coel’s award-winning play Chewing Gum Dreams.

Production Co: Retort (part of FremantleMedia UK) 

 

Lives of the Infamous

Embed Code: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGmQ1G5rNbwS53uj1m0EnXlQdW-TSSw17&action_edit=1

Peter Firth (Spooks) narrates the extraordinary memoirs of twins Adam and Dunhill Wanger as told through achieve footage and interviews, by those who knew them best. The Wanger brothers ruled London’s murky underworld in the Swinging 60s, before being brought to their knees by an ingenious Scotland Yard sting led by DCI Donald Ponk (Jim Broadbent) during the Miss London pageant of 1965. But it was an unlikely stint as pop starts following their smash Euro hit ‘Wet Spanish Legs’ that put them back on the front pages.

Written and performed by Jim Howick (Horrible Histories, Yonderland) David Crow (Little Crackers, Bill) and Oliver Maltman (Another Year, Happy-Go-Lucky).

Production Co: Big Talk Productions

 

Flavours

Embed Code: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGmQ1G5rNbwSnqjmrLYJk8TGoJ0LrX0nD&action_edit=1

Comedy writing duo Miles Chapman and Mark O’Sullivan have created the characters of Delphine and Vic Heslop, Grant Gottlieb and his son Brent - four people trying to discover just what it is that floats their respective boats. Delphine and Vic are in a comfortable beige routine searching for more meaning in their lives, well, Delphine is anyway. Grant loves God, and his son, Brent. Brent hates Grant. And God. And life. But he does like rabbits. Script edited by Oscar nominated and multi award winner Simon Blackwell (In The Loop, Veep, The Thick of It).
Production Co: Retort (part of FremantleMedia UK)

 

Comedy Blaps: available at www.channel4.com/blaps

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6A54D596C9FDCDBF

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Channel 4’s new digital brand All 4 will replace the 4oD brand on all platforms from the end of Q1 2015. All 4’s new user interface and functionality will launch initially on PC and iOS devices and will be extended to other digital platforms across 2015. See press release for further details: http://bit.ly/1uVNfEu

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