BBC announces raft of comedy shorts
- BBC Comedy has announced details of eleven new comedy shorts
- Launching on Friday on iPlayer, each trials a new format and will later air on BBC Three
The BBC has today announced details of a range of new short films.
From a range of new and established writers and stars, each of the eleven titles will be published on iPlayer on Friday before airing on BBC Three in the months ahead.
Although not being formally labelled as a pilot, each tests a new format with a potential view to being commissioned to series.
This Is Gay and Mobility have previously been reported by British Comedy Guide, whilst A Better Place, Birdsong, Calamity James, Funboys, Jobless, Man Eater, Pobl Bachyn, Where It Ends and 7 Minutes are new announcements.
The range includes the directorial debut of Kiri Pritchard-McLean, and one title directed by Ricky Gervais.
Announcing the shorts on the opening day of the 2023 BBC Comedy Festival in Cardiff, the corporation's comedy department says: "The BBC Comedy Short Film strand was created as a place for both new and established talent to develop and showcase exciting concepts that centre on originality and experimentation.
"BBC Comedy joined forces with teams in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to capture the best ideas from across the UK."
Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy, says: "It's been exciting to create a space for comedy creatives to flex their funny bones and we're particularly proud to have given 11 new writers and 6 new directors their first BBC Comedy credit. We can't wait to see them go out."
A Better Place
After their father's passing, an oddball trio inherit the failing family funeral business. Led by hapless son Archie, they devise a plan to save their funeral home from the clutches of rival businesswoman Eileen.
Creator/writers Book Of Jam (Jacob Topen and Ibrahim Clayton) say: "We're delighted to bring Book Of Jam's fly on the wall, dead-pan style to the BBC Comedy Festival. If a comedy festival needs more of anything, it's more plucky Dundonians, and stoney faced Brummies, in a film about a funeral home."
Birdsong
A short film by Uncle Shortbread about the dangers of sleep deprivation, the brutality of the music industry, and the power of Iggy Pop's hip thrust. Starring Colin Hoult.
Uncle Shortbread (Arthur Studholme and Cosmo Wellings) say: "Making this short film with Hat Trick for the BBC has been an absolute dream come true. Not in the literal sense though, as sadly no one's eyeballs and teeth fell out during filming, and we never found ourselves standing naked on stage at our school talent show with our childhood sweetheart Cindy Business watching on and laughing. Hopefully next time."
Calamity James
Calamity James is based on the Beano comic strip of the same name, a slapstick comedy about a young man, James, who is cursed with 'acute misfortune syndrome'. James tries to reconnect with his dad after being thrown out by his mum for setting fire to their house at a family barbeque. In this world, chronic bad luck exists and the unbelievable is the everyday. Starring Mark Bonnar and Dylan Blore.
Writer Louis Paxton says: "Calamity James has been a wonderful opportunity for me. Together with some of Scotland's best cast and crew, we've made an ambitious, heartfelt, and befittingly disastrous short film of which I am immensely proud."
Funboys
Deciding that life is hard, Callum and Jordan, two emotionally-unassembled young lads from Northern Ireland, start the Funboys' Fun Club: a playgroup for childish young men to engage in wholesome mucking about. But when a juice party goes awry, Callum's ultra-religious fiancée, Morgan kicks them out and the Funboys must search for a new HQ. When they come across Marty, a catatonically depressed 60-year-old, can they bring joy back to his life and prove that fun won't necessarily lead to an eternity spent in raging hellfire?
Writers and stars Super Lemon (Rian Lennon and Ryan Early) describe it as "a short film based on our own sad, sad lives".
Jobless
Jobless is a sitcom all about the Adenugas, a British Nigerian middle-class family in Milton Keynes, in particular 16-year-old twin brother and sister Kehinde (Kenny) and Taiwo (Tai). Tai and Kenny are desperate to make their mark on the world. That's hard when you live at home with your parents, and even harder when you live in Milton Keynes...
Writer Thara Popoola says: "I'm so excited for the world to meet the Adenuga twins, Tai and Kenny, or as their mum likes to call them 'jobless people'! We've had such a fun time making this, and I couldn't have asked for a better cast, who have brought these characters to life so brilliantly."
Man Eater
Don't be afraid to embrace the beast within you...even if that means wolfing down a load of pervy men.
Writers Angela Nesi and Anna Brook-Mitchell say: "We are really excited to be a part of BBC Comedy Short Films. It was a brilliant opportunity for us to work with such a talented team led by John Pocock, a producer we've been hassling to work with us for ages! A huge thank you to everyone who worked on this film and to the BBC Comedy team for creating space and opportunity for female comedy writers."
Mobility
A new comedy starring stand-up comedian Jack Carroll. First day of 6th Form and Mike, Sonny and Dan are heading in on the mobility bus. Will they make it to school without strangling each other?
Carroll says: "It's been a lifelong ambition of mine to write and act in a BBC comedy and I couldn't be prouder of getting to do that with a project as good as Mobility; we had such great fun making it and I think that really comes across. I can't wait for viewers to join Mike and the Gang for a journey on the mobility bus on the 26th May. Watch it and tell a friend, otherwise you're probably ableist."
Pobl Bachyn
Pobl Bachyn is a new short comedy-horror film from Tarot about the triple threat of Welsh folklore, English tourists and (to a lesser degree) being hungover, all set on a farm on Ynys Môn.
Co-writer Kiri Pritchard-McLean, who makes her directorial debut helming the short, says: "I'm so excited that the first project I've directed is full of comedy talent I admire like Katy Wix, Dean Fagan and Tarot - I've got to say them, really. I'm so happy we got to shoot it all in beautiful North Wales working with an abundance of Welsh talent. Pobl Bachyn will take you on a night out with friends and give you a messy end you'll be talking about for years."
This Is Gay
They're called "gays". But what are they? Who are they? And why? Part mockumentary, part sketch show, This Is Gay attempts to answer these important questions. Your guide, a figure simply known as "Host", takes you on a strange adventure with many stop offs along the way, including Renaissance Italy, modern-day London, a charming Welsh parish, and a fridge.
Writer and star Kirk Flash says: "I just want to shine a light on the bits of gay life your local supermarket's Pride month advert won't touch."
Where It Ends
Actor Jack joins a panto tour of care homes, where he is confronted with the reality of where it ends. Comedy starring Jack Robertson, Lauren Pattison, Charlie Hardwick and Dave Johns.
Writer Roberston says: "Where It Ends is a personal story of something that actually happened to me and has stayed with me for years. So to be able to work with such fantastic people to bring the story to life, for screen, was amazing. But the best bit was the catering, the chips on set were perfectly seasoned."
7 Minutes
A desolate train track seems the perfect spot to end it all, until someone else turns up with the same idea. Awkward. Starring Joe Wilkinson and Seroca Davis, it is directed by Ricky Gervais.
Writers Harry Carlile and Jonathan Parramint say: "We are so proud and excited to see our film come to life. We're so grateful to Ricky and the BBC for believing in us and this project and can't wait for everyone to watch it. Please watch it."
The commission was announced by BBC comedy commissioner Jon Petrie at the BBC Comedy Festival in Cardiff, where the BBC called comedy "a public service and needed now more than ever". A total of 10 commissions were announced. Full list of new shows