Channel 4 To Have Even More of a Laugh in 2011

29 October 2010

Shane Allen, Head of Comedy

• Channel 4 injects extra £5m into comedy programme budget in 2011
• Channel 4 comedy hours more than double 2009 - 2011 
• Head of Comedy Shane Allen welcomes top comedians in three new commissions
• Channel 4 continues to back new talent in comedy

Channel 4's already bulging comedy portfolio was further boosted today with the announcement that Head of Comedy, Shane Allen, has commissioned new projects from Chris Addison and Noel Fielding, for E4, as well as a new run of Comedy Showcases, the first of which will be an original sitcom penned by and staring Simon Bird and Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) with their comedy partner Jonny Sweet (When Boris Met Dave). 

With an additional £5m being pumped into the comedy budget in 2011, Allen will continue to build on the success of 2010 - which has seen four Bafta awarding winning comedy series (IT Crowd, Peep Show, Fonejacker, The Inbetweeners) return to C4´s screens - as well as new imaginative sitcoms Pete versus Life and PhoneShop, and imminent new series from Frankie Boyle and Morgana Robinson.

Allen said, "Channel 4 continues to lead the way in comedy by backing new talent and giving established names the creative freedom to take risks. We are able to give Frankie, Noel and Chris the space to try out new things and want talent to bring their passion projects to us. We value our long term relationships with people of the calibre of Victoria Pile, working with Channel 4 on her first new comedy series since Green Wing, or Graham Linehan, on the fourth series of the IT Crowd, or Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong on their record breaking seventh series of Peep Show; just as much as we love uncovering new talent like Morgana Robinson and Kayvan Novak.

"Channel 4´s investment in comedy has risen sharply in the last two years - 2011 spend will be almost double 2009 levels - and the space Big Brother leaves puts us in the happy position of having even more hours to fill. Just as well because, God knows, we could all do with a laugh at the moment. "

Winter 2010
The winter months will boast a multitude of series launching across the portfolio. Filmed in front of a studio audience, Robert's Web is a brand new comedy show about the week as seen from the internet, featuring the Peep Show star's alternative take on the week's online news.

The series, which will be Robert Webb's first solo comedy show, airs at the same time that the new series of Peep Show enters a record breaking seventh series on Channel 4 - achieving the accolade of being the longest running comedy in the Channel's 28 year history.

The department's longstanding commitment to discovering new comic talent continues with the TV debut of Morgana Robinson in The Morgana Show. Stepping straight into a peak time slot on Channel 4, Morgana combines her own characters with wonderfully realised impressions of the likes of Fearne Cotton, Cheryl Cole and Boris Johnson.  

The country's most fearless and viscerally talented comedian makes his solo show debut on the channel this November. Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights combines Frankie's outrageous and often controversial stand up with pre-filmed sketches in which he picks apart all aspects of modern life. 

With a glittering cast featuring Arrested Development's David Cross and Will Arnett alongside Pulling's Sharon Horgan, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret lands on More4 this winter, following the eponymous US lead (David Cross) as he blunders his way through life in London after ill-advisedly bluffing his way into a job he is plainly unable to do.

And over on  E4, Meet The Parents, a part scripted, part improved  prank show from the makers of Star Stories begins. Boyfriends are confronted by their prospective in-laws, who unbeknownst to them, are actually a cast of actors - doing their upmost to make the evening ad uncomfortable, and hilarious, as possible.

Christmas 2010
As a special festive treat, two of Channel 4's best loved comedies, Father Ted and Peep Show, have whole nights devoted to them. The themed nights will feature viewers' and the writers' favourite episodes as well as specially commissioned documentaries.

2011
The Channel will kick off 2011 in style, with The British Comedy Awards. As the UK's premier comedy awards ceremony enters its 21st year, Channel 4 will bring it bang up to date, reinvigorating the brand and reverting to a live broadcast, injecting spontaneity, excitement and edge into the new look awards show.

In the run up to the ceremony, five hour long shows will play across the week, in which Bill Bailey will interview a different leading comedian each night, asking them to choose their personal selections of all time comedy heroes and shows.

From the award-winning team behind Green Wing and Smack the Pony; Campus takes us on a vigorous ramble through the corridors of Kirke University - a (fictitious) concrete hotbed of academic, administrative and pastoral tomfoolery, under constant threat of economic and scholastic demise. Andy Nyman (Dead Set) and Joseph Millson (Quantum Of Solace) are amongst the talented ensemble cast.

Friday Night Dinner stars Tamsin Greig (Green Wing, Black Books), Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners), Paul Ritter (Pulling) and comedy newcomer, Tom Rosenthal. Each episode takes place over the course of a Friday night, as twenty-something brothers Adam (Simon Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) go round to their parents' house for Friday night dinner.

And following a successful first series - Pete Versus Life will return, to catch up with the struggling young sports writer (Rafe Spall) as he muddles through life, under the watchful gaze of two top-flight commentators who observe, analyse and comment on every move he makes.

Notes to Editors

Facejacker is a Hattrick production. The Commissioning editor is Shane Allen.
IT Crowd is a TalkbackTHAMES production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
PhoneShop is a TalkbackTHAMES production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Robert's Web is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Peep Show is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
The Morgana Show is a Running Bare production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights is a Comedy Unit production, part of Zodiak Media Group. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is an RDF production, part of Zodiak Media Group. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Meet The Parents is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
British Comedy Awards is a Unique Television production. The Commissioning editors are Shane Allen, and Nerys Evans.
Campus is a Moniker production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Friday Night Dinner is a Big Talk Production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Pete Versus Life is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.

 

New Commissions
Noel Fielding: Boopus (w/t) The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Chris Addison's Show and Tell (w/t) is an Avalon Production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Chickens (w/t) is a Big Talk Production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.

Shane Allen, Head of Comedy

• Channel 4 injects extra £5m into comedy programme budget in 2011
• Channel 4 comedy hours more than double 2009 - 2011 
• Head of Comedy Shane Allen welcomes top comedians in three new commissions
• Channel 4 continues to back new talent in comedy

Channel 4's already bulging comedy portfolio was further boosted today with the announcement that Head of Comedy, Shane Allen, has commissioned new projects from Chris Addison and Noel Fielding, for E4, as well as a new run of Comedy Showcases, the first of which will be an original sitcom penned by and staring Simon Bird and Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) with their comedy partner Jonny Sweet (When Boris Met Dave). 

With an additional £5m being pumped into the comedy budget in 2011, Allen will continue to build on the success of 2010 - which has seen four Bafta awarding winning comedy series (IT Crowd, Peep Show, Fonejacker, The Inbetweeners) return to C4´s screens - as well as new imaginative sitcoms Pete versus Life and PhoneShop, and imminent new series from Frankie Boyle and Morgana Robinson.

Allen said, "Channel 4 continues to lead the way in comedy by backing new talent and giving established names the creative freedom to take risks. We are able to give Frankie, Noel and Chris the space to try out new things and want talent to bring their passion projects to us. We value our long term relationships with people of the calibre of Victoria Pile, working with Channel 4 on her first new comedy series since Green Wing, or Graham Linehan, on the fourth series of the IT Crowd, or Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong on their record breaking seventh series of Peep Show; just as much as we love uncovering new talent like Morgana Robinson and Kayvan Novak.

"Channel 4´s investment in comedy has risen sharply in the last two years - 2011 spend will be almost double 2009 levels - and the space Big Brother leaves puts us in the happy position of having even more hours to fill. Just as well because, God knows, we could all do with a laugh at the moment. "

Winter 2010
The winter months will boast a multitude of series launching across the portfolio. Filmed in front of a studio audience, Robert's Web is a brand new comedy show about the week as seen from the internet, featuring the Peep Show star's alternative take on the week's online news.

The series, which will be Robert Webb's first solo comedy show, airs at the same time that the new series of Peep Show enters a record breaking seventh series on Channel 4 - achieving the accolade of being the longest running comedy in the Channel's 28 year history.

The department's longstanding commitment to discovering new comic talent continues with the TV debut of Morgana Robinson in The Morgana Show. Stepping straight into a peak time slot on Channel 4, Morgana combines her own characters with wonderfully realised impressions of the likes of Fearne Cotton, Cheryl Cole and Boris Johnson.  

The country's most fearless and viscerally talented comedian makes his solo show debut on the channel this November. Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights combines Frankie's outrageous and often controversial stand up with pre-filmed sketches in which he picks apart all aspects of modern life. 

With a glittering cast featuring Arrested Development's David Cross and Will Arnett alongside Pulling's Sharon Horgan, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret lands on More4 this winter, following the eponymous US lead (David Cross) as he blunders his way through life in London after ill-advisedly bluffing his way into a job he is plainly unable to do.

And over on  E4, Meet The Parents, a part scripted, part improved  prank show from the makers of Star Stories begins. Boyfriends are confronted by their prospective in-laws, who unbeknownst to them, are actually a cast of actors - doing their upmost to make the evening ad uncomfortable, and hilarious, as possible.

Christmas 2010
As a special festive treat, two of Channel 4's best loved comedies, Father Ted and Peep Show, have whole nights devoted to them. The themed nights will feature viewers' and the writers' favourite episodes as well as specially commissioned documentaries.

2011
The Channel will kick off 2011 in style, with The British Comedy Awards. As the UK's premier comedy awards ceremony enters its 21st year, Channel 4 will bring it bang up to date, reinvigorating the brand and reverting to a live broadcast, injecting spontaneity, excitement and edge into the new look awards show.

In the run up to the ceremony, five hour long shows will play across the week, in which Bill Bailey will interview a different leading comedian each night, asking them to choose their personal selections of all time comedy heroes and shows.

From the award-winning team behind Green Wing and Smack the Pony; Campus takes us on a vigorous ramble through the corridors of Kirke University - a (fictitious) concrete hotbed of academic, administrative and pastoral tomfoolery, under constant threat of economic and scholastic demise. Andy Nyman (Dead Set) and Joseph Millson (Quantum Of Solace) are amongst the talented ensemble cast.

Friday Night Dinner stars Tamsin Greig (Green Wing, Black Books), Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners), Paul Ritter (Pulling) and comedy newcomer, Tom Rosenthal. Each episode takes place over the course of a Friday night, as twenty-something brothers Adam (Simon Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) go round to their parents' house for Friday night dinner.

And following a successful first series - Pete Versus Life will return, to catch up with the struggling young sports writer (Rafe Spall) as he muddles through life, under the watchful gaze of two top-flight commentators who observe, analyse and comment on every move he makes.

Notes to Editors

Facejacker is a Hattrick production. The Commissioning editor is Shane Allen.
IT Crowd is a TalkbackTHAMES production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
PhoneShop is a TalkbackTHAMES production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Robert's Web is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Peep Show is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
The Morgana Show is a Running Bare production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights is a Comedy Unit production, part of Zodiak Media Group. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is an RDF production, part of Zodiak Media Group. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Meet The Parents is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
British Comedy Awards is a Unique Television production. The Commissioning editors are Shane Allen, and Nerys Evans.
Campus is a Moniker production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Friday Night Dinner is a Big Talk Production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Pete Versus Life is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.

 

New Commissions
Noel Fielding: Boopus (w/t) The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Chris Addison's Show and Tell (w/t) is an Avalon Production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Chickens (w/t) is a Big Talk Production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.

Shane Allen, Head of Comedy

• Channel 4 injects extra £5m into comedy programme budget in 2011
• Channel 4 comedy hours more than double 2009 - 2011 
• Head of Comedy Shane Allen welcomes top comedians in three new commissions
• Channel 4 continues to back new talent in comedy

Channel 4's already bulging comedy portfolio was further boosted today with the announcement that Head of Comedy, Shane Allen, has commissioned new projects from Chris Addison and Noel Fielding, for E4, as well as a new run of Comedy Showcases, the first of which will be an original sitcom penned by and staring Simon Bird and Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) with their comedy partner Jonny Sweet (When Boris Met Dave). 

With an additional £5m being pumped into the comedy budget in 2011, Allen will continue to build on the success of 2010 - which has seen four Bafta awarding winning comedy series (IT Crowd, Peep Show, Fonejacker, The Inbetweeners) return to C4´s screens - as well as new imaginative sitcoms Pete versus Life and PhoneShop, and imminent new series from Frankie Boyle and Morgana Robinson.

Allen said, "Channel 4 continues to lead the way in comedy by backing new talent and giving established names the creative freedom to take risks. We are able to give Frankie, Noel and Chris the space to try out new things and want talent to bring their passion projects to us. We value our long term relationships with people of the calibre of Victoria Pile, working with Channel 4 on her first new comedy series since Green Wing, or Graham Linehan, on the fourth series of the IT Crowd, or Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong on their record breaking seventh series of Peep Show; just as much as we love uncovering new talent like Morgana Robinson and Kayvan Novak.

"Channel 4´s investment in comedy has risen sharply in the last two years - 2011 spend will be almost double 2009 levels - and the space Big Brother leaves puts us in the happy position of having even more hours to fill. Just as well because, God knows, we could all do with a laugh at the moment. "

Winter 2010
The winter months will boast a multitude of series launching across the portfolio. Filmed in front of a studio audience, Robert's Web is a brand new comedy show about the week as seen from the internet, featuring the Peep Show star's alternative take on the week's online news.

The series, which will be Robert Webb's first solo comedy show, airs at the same time that the new series of Peep Show enters a record breaking seventh series on Channel 4 - achieving the accolade of being the longest running comedy in the Channel's 28 year history.

The department's longstanding commitment to discovering new comic talent continues with the TV debut of Morgana Robinson in The Morgana Show. Stepping straight into a peak time slot on Channel 4, Morgana combines her own characters with wonderfully realised impressions of the likes of Fearne Cotton, Cheryl Cole and Boris Johnson.  

The country's most fearless and viscerally talented comedian makes his solo show debut on the channel this November. Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights combines Frankie's outrageous and often controversial stand up with pre-filmed sketches in which he picks apart all aspects of modern life. 

With a glittering cast featuring Arrested Development's David Cross and Will Arnett alongside Pulling's Sharon Horgan, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret lands on More4 this winter, following the eponymous US lead (David Cross) as he blunders his way through life in London after ill-advisedly bluffing his way into a job he is plainly unable to do.

And over on  E4, Meet The Parents, a part scripted, part improved  prank show from the makers of Star Stories begins. Boyfriends are confronted by their prospective in-laws, who unbeknownst to them, are actually a cast of actors - doing their upmost to make the evening ad uncomfortable, and hilarious, as possible.

Christmas 2010
As a special festive treat, two of Channel 4's best loved comedies, Father Ted and Peep Show, have whole nights devoted to them. The themed nights will feature viewers' and the writers' favourite episodes as well as specially commissioned documentaries.

2011
The Channel will kick off 2011 in style, with The British Comedy Awards. As the UK's premier comedy awards ceremony enters its 21st year, Channel 4 will bring it bang up to date, reinvigorating the brand and reverting to a live broadcast, injecting spontaneity, excitement and edge into the new look awards show.

In the run up to the ceremony, five hour long shows will play across the week, in which Bill Bailey will interview a different leading comedian each night, asking them to choose their personal selections of all time comedy heroes and shows.

From the award-winning team behind Green Wing and Smack the Pony; Campus takes us on a vigorous ramble through the corridors of Kirke University - a (fictitious) concrete hotbed of academic, administrative and pastoral tomfoolery, under constant threat of economic and scholastic demise. Andy Nyman (Dead Set) and Joseph Millson (Quantum Of Solace) are amongst the talented ensemble cast.

Friday Night Dinner stars Tamsin Greig (Green Wing, Black Books), Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners), Paul Ritter (Pulling) and comedy newcomer, Tom Rosenthal. Each episode takes place over the course of a Friday night, as twenty-something brothers Adam (Simon Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) go round to their parents' house for Friday night dinner.

And following a successful first series - Pete Versus Life will return, to catch up with the struggling young sports writer (Rafe Spall) as he muddles through life, under the watchful gaze of two top-flight commentators who observe, analyse and comment on every move he makes.

Notes to Editors

Facejacker is a Hattrick production. The Commissioning editor is Shane Allen.
IT Crowd is a TalkbackTHAMES production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
PhoneShop is a TalkbackTHAMES production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Robert's Web is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Peep Show is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
The Morgana Show is a Running Bare production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights is a Comedy Unit production, part of Zodiak Media Group. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is an RDF production, part of Zodiak Media Group. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Meet The Parents is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
British Comedy Awards is a Unique Television production. The Commissioning editors are Shane Allen, and Nerys Evans.
Campus is a Moniker production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Friday Night Dinner is a Big Talk Production. The Commissioning Editor is Darren Smith.
Pete Versus Life is an Objective production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.

 

New Commissions
Noel Fielding: Boopus (w/t) The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Chris Addison's Show and Tell (w/t) is an Avalon Production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.
Chickens (w/t) is a Big Talk Production. The Commissioning Editor is Nerys Evans.