BBC Champions UK Comedy with 10 New and Returning Shows and Increased Funding

The BBC has unveiled a robust slate of 10 new and returning comedy shows, reinforcing its commitment to affordable, distinctive, and homegrown British humour. The announcement, made at the BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast, also included a significant investment of over half a million pounds in new comedy production for Northern Ireland.

Key Takeaways

• Ten new and returning comedy programmes announced.

• Over £500,000 additional funding ringfenced for new comedy production in Northern Ireland for 2025/2026.

• Emphasis on affordable, distinctive comedy driven by brilliant characters and authentic voices.

• The BBC reaffirms its position as the UK's largest single investor in original comedy content.

• The BBC New Comedy Awards celebrates its 30th anniversary, continuing its legacy of launching new talent.

New and Returning Comedy

BBC Director of Comedy, Jon Petrie, revealed the exciting lineup, which includes:

• Ann Droid (w/t): A sitcom starring Diane Morgan as a social humanoid robot designed for elderly companionship, exploring the intersection of technology and human connection.

• The Reluctant Vampire: A supernatural family sitcom featuring BAFTA winner Lenny Rush.

• Bill’s Included: Rob Brydon stars as a middle-aged divorcee who rents rooms to students to avoid financial ruin.

• Small Prophets: Created by BAFTA winner Mackenzie Crook, this series stars Pearce Quigley, Sir Michael Palin, and Sophie Willan.

• Stuffed: Guz Khan plays an office worker whose family holiday to Lapland takes an unexpected turn after a Christmas bonus is reclaimed.

The festival also marked the return of popular shows such as Only Child, Funboys, The Young Offenders, and The Golden Cobra. Additionally, BBC Northern Ireland announced the commissioning of Leonard and Hungry Paul, based on Rónán Hession's novel.

Championing Distinctive Comedy

Petrie emphasized the BBC's dedication to nurturing unique comedic voices, stating, "Great comedy always comes back to the fundamentals: brilliant characters, sharp jokes, a unique voice." He added, "Our priority is to keep our shows affordable and distinctive, because comedy doesn't need explosions and continuous shots, it needs punchlines, authentic voices, and that gleeful point of view that no algorithm can touch."

Investment in Northern Ireland Comedy

Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning BBC Northern Ireland, highlighted the significance of the additional funding. "The additional year-long funding of more than half a million pounds shows real faith in Northern Ireland comedy talent and will provide a decent leg up to network commissioning for the comedy sector here," he said.

BBC New Comedy Awards

In related news, the BBC New Comedy Awards is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The Grand Final, held at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre, will air on BBC One and iPlayer on November 19th. Hosted by Amy Gledhill, with Fatiha El-Ghorri as Head Judge, the awards continue to be a vital platform for discovering emerging comedic talent across the UK, with past alumni including Alan Carr, Sarah Millican, and Joe Lycett.

Sources

• BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie unveils 10 star-studded new and returning shows, championing affordable,distinctive, UK comedy, BBC.

• BBC New Comedy Awards 2025 Grand Final from Bradford comes to iPlayer and BBC One in November, BBC.