It was announced today (04 August 2017) that Netflix have commissioned a stand up special with Russell Howard, to be produced by Avalon.
The news arrives as Russell’s biggest global tour to date, Round the World draws to a close. The tour has seen him play a record-breaking 10-night run at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, overtaking eight in a row jointly held by Frank Sinatra and Barry Manilow and perform the largest ever stand-up show in China. To date, he has performed this show 85 times with runs in the UK, USA, Canada, Europe, China, New Zealand and Australia. The special will be recorded over two nights at the Brighton Dome on the 5th and 6th August.
James Taylor, Executive Producer for Avalon, said: “Netflix has a reputation that is second-to-none for stand-up specials and we’re delighted to be working with them to bring Russell’s globally popular stand-up to their audience around the world”
Russell Howard added: “I’m really looking forward to making a special for Netflix, I’ve enjoyed watching so many of their stand-up specials and to record my own for them is great.”
Whilst Russell has been touring, a clip from his last stand-up show Wonderbox (2014) went viral with nearly 15 million views in China (with Mandarin subtitles) and over 6.5 million views in the UK. Russell Crowe and Stephen Fry are amongst some of the Twitterati who have shared the heart-warming story of Russell and a sick fan’s triumph over adversity. Russell is the most popular British comedian on Facebook with over 3.2 million fans and over 1.2 million followers on Twitter.
The as yet untitled Netflix original stand-up special will be directed by Peter Orton, executive produced by Richard Allen-Turner, Russell Howard, James Taylor and Jon Thoday for Avalon and Lisa Nishimura and Robbie Praw for Netflix. The show will be recorded in 4K UHD with surround sound and is expected to be released in autumn 2017.
-ends-
What the press has said about Russell’s current stand-up tour, Round The World:
★★★★★
Sharon Lougher, The Metro
“world domination is looming… he has grown darker, angrier and more satirical on stage. His sets deal with everything from foreign policy to his fear of death, and he rages as much as he teases.”
Stephen Armstrong, The Sunday Times
“Hilarious and heartfelt” ★★★★
Bruce Dessau, The Evening Standard
“Intimate and raw” ★★★★
Mark Wareham, Mail On Sunday
“He’s never been more relevant” ★★★★
Rachael Moon, Manchester Evening News
“Last week, I saw Russell Howard’s highly entertaining new show, playing at the Royal Albert Hall, no less. He is now doing a world tour, and why not? He is a global star, with a huge following.”
David Stephenson, The Sunday Express
“We’ve certainly never seen the venue’s [Royal Albert Hall] roof raised this high.”
Shyvonne Thomas, Digital Spy
For more information please contact:
Dan Lloyd or Victoria Wedderburn at Avalon on 0207 598 7222 / [email protected] or [email protected],
Or Stuart Grr at Netflix: +44 781 391 7793 / [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading internet television network with 104 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
About Avalon
Avalon is a multi-award winning talent management, live promotion and television production group with offices in the UK and the USA.
Avalon and ARG, the talent management arm has discovered and represents many artists which are household names, both in the UK, the USA, and around the world.
In 2017 Avalon was named the top true independent television production company in the UK and has produced numerous ground-breaking television shows including: Emmy and Peabody award winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO), multi-award winning and Emmy-nominated Catastrophe (Channel 4/Amazon Prime), seven seasons of Workaholics, three seasons of Adam Devine’s House Party (Comedy Central), RTS and Rose d’Or winning Not Going Out (BBC1’s longest running sitcom currently on air), BAFTA and RTS-nominated Taskmaster (DAVE). Avalon is also currently producing the first US season of Taskmaster for Comedy Central, hosted by Reggie Watts and Alex Horne.
For Avalon news visit: www.avalon-entertainment.com or @avalonent.
About Russell Howard
- After recording the special, Russell brings a brand-new show to Sky 1 in the autumn. The second series of Russell Howard & Mum: USA Road Trip will air in Spring 2018 and a further two series have been commissioned.
- The last series of Russell Howard’s Good News saw three segments go viral, from a passionate backing of junior doctors and the NHS (8.2 million views and described by Huffington Post as, “incredible”), an interview destigmatising Tourettes (4.9 million views and described as, “uplifting and hilarious” by The Independent) and demonstrated the absurdity of the tampon tax (10.2 million views with Metro saying RUSSELL, “nailed how stupid the tampon tax actually is.”)
- Russell Howard’s Good News is available around the world via a YouTube channel launched in 2014 – allowing fans to watch full episodes of the show (without piracy) in countries where the show wasn’t already broadcast – and has had over 32 million views and been watched in 180 countries (including North Korea and Vatican City).
- In 2016 RUSSELL took his “twinkly eyed smasher of a mum” NINETTE HOWARD on an eye-opening trip around the USA for a series on Comedy Central which is their highest rating original commission. A second series will TX in Spring 2018 and a further two series have been commissioned.
- After RUSSELL has completed his world tour, he will write and star in a new comedy and entertainment show for Sky 1 as part of a two-year deal.
- Christmas 2015 saw RUSSELL’s first comedy-drama with the premiere of, A Gert Lush Christmas (BBC Two). As well as co-writing the special, RUSSELL starred for the first time along-side his sister KERRY HOWARD (Him & Her, BBC Three), GREG DAVIES (The Inbetweeners, Man Down, Channel 4), NEIL MORRISSEY (Men Behaving Badly, Waterloo Road, BBC1), and SOPHIE THOMPSON (EastEnders, BBC1).
- RUSSELL’s stand-up series – Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central, which aired from April 2015 on Comedy Central (UK) achieved viewing figures of 159% above the slot average for its first episode.
- Episodes of Russell Howard’s Good News have even been subtitled and uploaded to Chinese video site AcFun, where the show has also been watched over 4 million times.
- RUSSELL HOWARD is the most popular British comedian on Facebook with over 3.2 million fans and over 1.2 million followers on Twitter.
- In its new home on BBC TWO Russell Howard’s Good News regularly achieved over 3 million viewers each week.
- 10 series of Russell Howard’s Good News has seen RUSSELL write and star in 96 episodes.
- Russell Howard’s Good News is regularly the most watched show on iPlayer across all BBC Channels.
- RUSSELL’s latest tour, Wonderbox (2014) – his biggest tour to date, saw him perform to over 285,000 fans at 40 shows across the UK and Ireland, including four consecutive nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
- RUSSELL extended his 2014 Wonderbox tour across the world following over 17,000 suggestions from his fans after he asked them via Facebook where they’d most like to see him perform. The extra sold out dates saw RUSSELL travel to New York, LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC, Denver, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Auckland.
- His tour in 2011, Right Here, Right Now saw him perform to over 240,000 fans across the country, including three sold out dates at London’s O2 arena.
- RUSSELL has performed to over one million people on his UK and international tours from 2006-2014.
- RUSSELL HOWARD has four bestselling stand-up DVDs, 2014’s Wonderbox Live, 2011’s Right Here, Right Now, 2008’s Russell Howard Live and 2009’s Russell Howard Live – Dingledodies, which have sold over 619,000 DVDs and all been in the top 5 DVD comedy chart.
- RUSSELL was voted Heat Magazine‘s “Weird Crush of the Year 2013″
- RUSSELL HOWARD has made 58 appearances on Mock The Week between 2006 and 2010.
- In addition to being a regular on Mock The Week, RUSSELL has twice featured on Live At The Apollo and appeared on Would I Lie To You (BBC One), Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC Two), and 8 Out 10 Cats (Channel 4).
- In 2010 RUSSELL HOWARD took part in the Sport Relief Million Pound Bike Ride with DAVID WALLIAMS, JIMMY CARR, FEARNE COTTON, MIRANDA HART, PATRICK KIELTY and DAVINA McCALL – cycling 874 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 4 days and raising over £1, 337.099.
- In the same year RUSSELL HOWARD ran the London Marathon, raising money for the National Society for Epilepsy – a condition from which his brother suffers. He completed the 26 mile course in 4 hours and 15 minutes and raised over £7,000.
- RUSSELL HOWARD’S fifth ever stand-up gig got him to the final of Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny.
- In 2006 RUSSELL HOWARD was nominated for the Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Award for his show Wandering, which followed with a nationwide sell-out tour.
- From November 2006 to July 2008, RUSSELL co-hosted The Russell Howard Show (BBC 6 Music) with fellow comedian JON RICHARDSON in a Sunday morning slot previously hosted by RUSSELL BRAND.
