Channel 4 Comedy Announces Two Fresh Blaps

26 July 2016

Channel 4’s online comedy showcase that uncovers the brightest new comedy stars and freshest TV ideas is today unveiling two brand new bite-sized Blaps.

 

Outsiders is a sitcom written by Andrew Ellard about a group of 20-something foreigners thrown together in a cramped London flat. Worlds collide when the flatmates help Min fill in her visa form, but that's the least of their problems when

Yasmine finds a gun on the doorstep…

 

Avatards is a part live action part animated comedy written and created by Jon Brown. Obsessive gamers, Meg and Daniel, are currently existing as much in the virtual world of Lava Mountain, waiting for some Shadow-Cloth Gloves to materialise, as they are in the real world. Romance is in the air when, in the real world, Meg meets a hot new guy Jase in the office, but when Jase makes the step from the real world into the virtual world their budding romance hits a whole new set of problems.

 

Outsiders and Avatards are available to watch from 26th July on All 4 and at http://comedyblaps.channel4.com

 

A bit about Blaps

 

From comedy virgins to established comedy writers and performers, anyone can have their five minutes of fun trying out fresh new ideas that may one day make it to a series commission. E4 commissioned two series of former Blaps Bad Robots and Chewing Gum, while other Blaps alumni (‘Blapees’?) include Claudia Doherty, Nick Helm, Sam Simmons, David Earl and many more.

 

Nerys Evans, deputy head of Channel 4 comedy said: “Blaps are always great fun – joyous nuggets of the weird and the wonderful. We’ve had fantastic success taking many on to a full series commission.

 

“We welcome all kinds of stories from all kinds of voices and experience levels. Fundamentally Blaps are a brilliant way for us to work with new writers and directors, who have the freedom to try something new.”

 

Submissions for Blaps re-open in September 2016.

 

Blaps can also be viewed and shared via

Vimeo https://vimeo.com/album/1746142

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

#ComedyBlaps

 

Notes to Editors

OUTSIDERS:

Written by Andrew Ellard and cast

Starring: Sofie Hagen, Mae Martin, Jamali Maddix, Yasmine Akram, Pierre Novellie

Directed by Dominic Brigstocke

Produced by Anne Henry for Citrus Television

 

AVATARDS:

Written by Jon Brown

Starring: Alexa Davies, Jamie Demetriou, Ethan Lawrence, David Mumeni

Directed by Jamie Jay Johnson

Produced by Matthew Mulot for Curse These Metal Hands Ltd

Script edited and Executive Produced by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.

 

Although initially commissioned as short form web comedy, Blaps are always considered for progression to TV series. Blaps are open to all – as well as taking submissions via production companies, Channel 4 welcomes submissions from individuals as well.

 

Michaela Coel’s BAFTA award-winning E4 series Chewing Gum began its road to TV as a comedy Blap in 2014. The second series will air on E4 in the autumn.

 

Roisin Conaty wrote and starred in her own Blap in 2014, before creating a TX pilot based on the web series. Her six-part series Game Face will premiere on E4 in early 2017.

 

Hidden camera prank show Bad Robot started life as a Blap before being commissioned for two successful series on E4, alongside its pre-watershed spin off Bad-ish Robots.