Tuning up for a second time - The Horne Section TV Show returns to Channel 4

26 June 2023

“Refreshingly funny and at times quite silly… a first-class comedy”
The Sunday Times

“Endlessly charming, offbeat humour... Horne’s show sparkles”
 The Independent

“This riotously fun sitcom is an utter delight… The Horne Section TV Show is a lot of fun. It’s a riotous, good-natured sitcom that sits somewhere between Flight of the Conchords and The Goodies”
The Guardian

The creator of BAFTA and National Comedy Award Winning Taskmaster, Alex Horne and his band The Horne Section are set to tune up their instruments for a second time as Channel 4 announces the return of the six-part musical sitcom, following the critically acclaimed debut series last year.

Currently in production and created, written by, and starring Alex Horne and The Horne Section, series two sees internationally renowned musician, comedian, writer, and actor Reggie Watts join the cast this series along with critically acclaimed comic Tim Key, and John Oliver as returning special guests. Desiree Burch (Live At The Apollo), Georgia Tennant (Staged), and Camille Ucan (Lee and Dean) also star in the returning cast, while Ronni Ancona (Friday Night Live), Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts), Stevie Martin (8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown), and Anna Crilly (Horrible Histories: The Movie) join the cast for the second series.

Away from the screen The Horne Section host the iTunes chart topping podcast The Horne Section Podcast and three series of Alex Horne Presents The Horne Section on BBC Radio 4. Horne has been working with the band since 2010, when they first performed together at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Separately, members of The Horne Section have performed with recording artists including Robbie Williams, Madness, Florence and the Machine, Amy Winehouse, George Ezra, Basement Jaxx, Disclosure and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

The Horne Section Series 2 was commissioned for Channel 4 by Head of Comedy, Charlie Perkins and Commissioning Executive, Joe Hullait. The Executive Producers are Alex Horne, James Taylor, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner for Avalon. The series is produced by Matt Stronge and directed by Barbara Wiltshire. The Horne Section are: Alex Horne (band leader), Joe Auckland (trumpet and banjo), Mark Brown (saxophone and guitar), Will Collier (bass), Ben Reynolds (drums and percussion) and Ed Sheldrake (keyboards).

ENDS

 

For further information please contact:

Emma Oldfield: EOldfield@Channel4.co.uk

Florrie Sheehan: FSheehan@avalonuk.com

 

About Alex Horne

Alex Horne is an award-winning comedian, author and podcaster, long-established as a key figure in the British comedy scene.

He is the creator and co-host of the BAFTA and National Comedy Award-winning hit TV Show, Taskmaster, which first aired on Dave before graduating to Channel 4 in 2020. With over 100 episodes, an Emmy-nomination and a Royal Television Society and Broadcast Award for Best Entertainment Programme under its belt, Taskmaster is a gem of British programming. The show has also transcended national broadcasting borders, with adaptations airing in a dozen markets around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Quebec, Portugal, the Nordics, and Croatia. The Taskmaster format is a smash hit in Sweden, where it won the title of Best Entertainment Programme of the year in 2020. Other notable instalments in the Taskmaster Entertainment Universe include a book, a board game and two podcasts.

Alex is also the creator and frontman of The Horne Section, a six-piece band of multitalented musicians. After a successful pilot, The Horne Section TV Show was commissioned for release by Channel 4, with its first season airing in the Autumn of 2022. This follows the band’s establishment as a staple at the Fringe, appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4) and Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2), and the release of the iTunes-chart-topping The Horne Section Podcast.

 

About Avalon

Avalon is a multi-award-winning talent management, television production and live promotion group with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York.

Avalon, Artist Rights Group (ARG) and The Agency represent a prolific roster of artists including comedians, actors, presenters, writers and directors. Avalon’s numerous ground-breaking returning television shows currently in production include: Not Going Out (BBC), the UK’s longest running sitcom on air; Taskmaster (Channel 4), the BAFTA-winning hit entertainment format showing in 150 countries; multi Emmy-winning, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), one of the network’s most successful entertainment show launches since 2010; Starstruck (HBO Max/BBC), a sitcom from Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo; Buffering (ITV), a sitcom co-created by and starring BAFTA-winning comedian and voice of Love Island, Iain Stirling.  Breeders, the comedy series starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard (FX/Sky); the immediately recommissioned, The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show (BBC); a brand-new series of the iconic comedy football show blending football fanaticism with celebrity chat, Fantasy Football League (Sky); and multiple comedy specials for Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Netflix.

Other landmark Avalon shows include BAFTA winning and multi Emmy-nominated Catastrophe (Amazon Prime Video/Channel 4), multi BAFTA-winning TV Burp (ITV), and Workaholics (Comedy Central USA). Avalon also distributes its catalogue of programmes to over 150 countries worldwide. Avalon has produced many globally successful podcasts and is regularly at the top of the UK iTunes chart with the multi-award-winning Shagged. Married. Annoyed by Chris and Rosie Ramsey.

As a leading promoter of live comedy, Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show; Jerry Springer: The Opera, the first West End show to win all four UK ‘Best New Musical’ awards; and has continued to produce and promote live shows globally, as well as promoting more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company.

For Avalon news visit: www.avalonuk.com/press or follow @avalonent