BBC Three announces new 2011 commissions
Zai Bennett, the new Controller of BBC Three, has unveiled his first comedy commissions. Formerly the boss of ITV2, Bennett appears to be looking to make BBC Three comedy more edgy. He has picked a number of dark topics for comedy, including pilots focusing on cancer and war, and imported series including Wilfred from the US, an adaptation of an Australian sitcom about a man and his dog, starring Elijah Wood.
He said: "Making our audience laugh is one of our key aims at BBC Three. We have been the home of some of the most brilliant and innovative new comedy in recent times."
Pulling and Free Agents star Sharon Horgan and stand-up Holly Walsh] have created Life Stories (a working title), a comedy series set against the backdrop of life in Broadmarsh Prison. Horgan plays the lead character, who is wrongly locked up for the murder of her boss, and must aim to clear her name. More Details
A half-hour comedy drama pilot about life on a teenage cancer ward, devised by Casualty writers Tom Bidwell and Mark Catley.
A single-camera comedy pilot about a British bomb disposal detachment, focusing in on the fractious camaraderie as the unit waits around for their next task. IED is somewhat of a change of style for the team creating it: James Cary and Richard Hurst also work on studio comedy Miranda, whilst producer Stephen McCrum currently oversees raucous live-audience sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys. Our Guide
The above comedies will be on BBC Three later in the year. Also, as previously reported, Zai Bennett confirmed handyman sitcom White Van Man has been given a second series.