“Matafeo is endlessly watchable, her timing and delivery pure alchemy… Starstruck is a gem: warm-hearted but never saccharine, a very modern rom-com with fizzy ‘do keep-up’ dialogue”
★★★★★ Phoebe Luckhurst, Evening Standard
“Starstruck was a pure delight, sewing together a fresh sitcom using patchwork pieces of old Hollywood and new romcom. Series two is as much of a treat as the first”
★★★★ Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian
London – Monday 13th June – It was announced today that comedian, writer and actor Rose Matafeo’s (Edinburgh Comedy Award 2018 winner) romcom Starstruck has been commissioned for a third 6-part series by BBC Three. The first two series of Starstruck have been streamed over 8.2m times on BBC iPlayer so far.
Co-written by Rose Matafeo, Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, the 6×30 series will also be directed by Matafeo and Snedden. Produced by Avalon and co-produced with HBO Max, Starstruck series three will continue the story of millennial Londoner Jessie (Rose Matafeo) as she navigates the complications of becoming romantically involved with famous movie star Tom (Nikesh Patel; Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hulu; Indian Summers, Channel 4).
Rose Matafeo said: “A third? Sure. Fine. I’m truly thrilled to bring this incredibly talented cast back for a third instalment, and equally excited to clamber into the director’s seat alongside my nice friend Alice Snedden who I cannot seem to get rid of.”
Gregor Sharp, BBC Comedy Commissioning, said: “Starstruck is a blast of fresh comedy air, perfectly capturing the emotional mayhem of a new relationship with sharp wit, dry humour and a truthful eye – we can’t wait to see what Rose and the team have in store for Jessie and Tom in the new series.”
Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max, adds: “Rose has created a show that strikes just the right balance of heart and humor. Starstruck is exactly the kind of rom-com that we love at HBO Max, and we are so happy to see Jessie and Tom’s story continue.”
Jon Thoday, Executive Producer for Avalon, added: “It is fantastic to work again with two brilliant partners, in the BBC and HBO Max, to make a third season of this excellent show from Rose Matafeo”
Consistently receiving huge critical praise across the globe, Starstruck has been nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards 2022, and Best Comedy Series at the Edinburgh TV Awards 2021, while Matafeo has received nominations from BAFTA 2022 for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme, and a National Comedy Award 2021 for Best Breakthrough Artist. The show was highlighted by Rotten Tomatoes as their #3 best TV show of the year, featured in the Guardian’s ‘Top 10 Best Shows of 2021’, AV Club’s ‘Top 8 Great TV Hidden Gems’, Decider’s ‘Best TV Shows of the Year’, as well as highlighted as one of the best shows to watch in The Decider, New York Times, Paste Magazine, NME, Thrillist, Washington Post, CNET, The Guardian, The I, The Telegraph, Stylist, Vulture, Concrete Playground, Rotten Tomatoes, Time Magazine, Buzzfeed, Chicago Tribune, Paper City Mag, Mashable, Hollywood Reporter, NPR, Star Tribune, Jezebel, TV Insider, TV Guide, Boston Globe, and Bustle, while Matafeo was featured in Variety’s ‘Best Performances of 2021’, The Times’s ‘Top 10 Funniest Actors on TV’.
As well as airing on BBC Three in the UK and HBO Max in the U.S. Starstruck has premiered in a total 96 countries including on ABC in Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand, Canal + in France, Bell Media in Canada, HBO Max in Europe, HBO Max in Latin America, Lionsgate Play in India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia, HOT, DBS and Cellcom in Israel, while it is set to air soon on RTL in German speaking Europe.
Starstruck was commissioned for BBC Three by Controller Fiona Campbell and BBC Comedy. Produced by Avalon (“Breeders,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Flatbush Misdemeanours”), Starstruck is executive produced by Rob Aslett, Jon Thoday, Cath Gagon, Richard Allen-Turner, Rose Matafeo, and Gregor Sharp for the BBC. Toby Welch is series producer, and Rose Matafeo and Alice Snedden direct. Gregor Sharp is the Commissioning Editor for the BBC, and Jeniffer Kim is SVP of International Content for HBO Max.
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR STARSTRUCK SERIES 2 IN THE UK:
“deftly observed comedy of relationship insecurity… Matafeo’s heroine is immensely likeable and powers the show”
★★★★ Gerrard Gilbert, The I
“Rose Matafeo makes a triumphant return as BBC Three’s not-so-hidden gem really comes into its own… From the jazzy piano music to the meet-cutes and misunderstandings, Starstruck feels like a Hollywood classic dressed in a millennial Londoner’s clothing. It takes a textbook odd couple set-up but executes it with swagger and charm. The fast, flirty dialogue feels natural and isn’t over-written. Jess and Tom’s chemistry is sweet rather than sickly”
★★★★ Michael Hogan, The Daily Telegraph
“Brilliantly relatable, while also achieving the near-impossible with a Notting Hill-style romcom feel, this has a sparkling script with zinging chemistry between the two leads… the series is totally bingeable- and fortunately the whole box set is on iPlayer”
Sara Wallis, The Daily Mirror
“The first series has been streamed almost five million times on BBC iPlayer, making it BBC3’s biggest comedy of last year and announcing the arrival of Matafeo as a star and a kind of millennial Nora Ephron, both here and in America, where it streamed on HBO Max… It’s also very funny… Starstruck is a hymn to love itself”
Alice Jones, The Times
“Rose Matafeo’s whip-smart, gender-swapped Notting Hill-style romantic comedy returns… The writing has a good handle on the sense of stasis that can attach itself to rootless twentysomethings adrift amid the excitement and impossibilities of London. And the couple’s attraction and confusion always play out in plausibly human and relatable ways”
Phil Harrison, The Guardian
“Starstruck is still the best comedy about your messy, chaotic 20’s… those seriously laugh-out-loud pop culture gags are fired up even more.”
Maybelle Morgan, Refinery 29
“The first series of this romcom, starring and co-written by Rose Matafeo, along with Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, was one of the TV highlights of 2021. Now, here’s the very welcome second series continuing the story”
★★★★★ Boyd Hilton, Heat Magazine
“Matafeo and Patel triumphantly return as Jessie and Tom, wielding their charmingly awkward chemistry and seemingly effortless flirtation”
Shannon Connellan, Mashable
“The big hit of the spring 2021 lockdown, Rose Matafeo’s sweet comedy about a year in the life of a millennial who wakes up in bed with a Hollywood star returns with a deft subversion of romcom tropes”
John Dugdale, The Sunday Times
“Rose Matafeo’s whip-smart, gender-swapped Notting Hill-style romantic comedy returns”
Phil Harrison, The Observer
“A welcome return for one of the wittiest comedies of 2021”
★★★★★ Steven Perkins, TV Times Magazine
“The rollercoaster London romcom returns”
★★★★ Robin Wiggs, Daily Mail
“Rose Matafeo’s… brilliant romcom returns for a second series”
David Butcher, Radio Times
“marvellous, moreish comedy”
David Bell, The Sun
“Rose Matafeo’s heart-warming and pleasingly old-fashioned romcom returns with more millennial dating misadventures”
Gerrard O’Donovan, The Daily Telegraph
“It remains five stars because it’s still lovely, a scene-stealing Minnie Driver returns as Tom’s agent, and it has a great script”
★★★★★ Deborah Ross, Mail on Sunday
“We’re Starstruck by Rose Matafeo. The comedian, writer, and Starstruck creator is our new comedy obsession”
Sophie Goddard, Stylist
“It’s as fun as it always was, and (as importantly) it’s as funny… Starstruck is one of the most charming shows of 2022… Starstruck series 2 feels at once like a natural continuation of the first series, and as though it’s evolved into something cleverer, something more thoughtful”
Alex Moreland, National World
“The breakout success of the first season was due to its unassuming charm and comedic timing, steered by the plot-propelling cohort of genuinely funny, drunken, gross women you want to be your friend IRL – akin to Fleabag, Girls or Catastrophe”.
Maybelle Morgan, Refinery 29
“Funny and heart-warming, this modern fairy tale is ideal for anyone fed up with romcom cliches”
Emily Baker, The I
“the romantic comedy series created by and starring comedian Rose Matafeo that stole our hearts by bringing a new millennial twist to Notting Hill. It was hands down one of the best TV shows of 2021”
Shannon Connellan, Mashable
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR STARSTRUCK SERIES 2 IN THE U.S:
“Consistently fizzy charm elevated by Matafeo’s irrepressible energy”
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter
“HBO Max comedy Starstruck feels like such a breath of fresh air. A throwback to the romantic comedies of yesterday that still understands and embraces its place in the contemporary television landscape, the series is a delight from start to finish, fully deserving of the steady drumbeat of word of mouth and social media buzz that built around its initial premiere last year”
Lacy Baugher Milas, Paste Magazine
“Matafeo’s voice is completely distinctive and the show is her voice, so I look forward to future seasons of Starstruck offering an effervescent escape from the gloomy norm… and I really look forward to seeing what else Matafeo wants to do with her ever-broadening platform”
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter
“Starstruck is the lighthearted TV rom-com we could all use right now”
NYC Daily Post
“witty, neatly crafted comedy package”
Meara Isenberg, CNET.com
“Starstruck is still a super funny, impossibly delightful balm”
Allison Picurro, TV Guide
“bubbly and sharp”
Erin Strecker IndieWire
“Starstruck was one of 2021’s most purely delightful TV surprises…Somehow, over six episodes running just 20 minutes each, creator and star Rose Matafeo managed to both embrace and upend the romantic comedy genre… Starstruck” sparkled with the best of them”
Caroline Framke, Variety
“Starstruck has achieved what it takes other shows countless seasons to nail… You’ll be reminded of exactly why you fell in love with Starstruck in the first place”
Carly Lane, Collider
“Starstruck conjures the magic of everyday romance… It’s funny and a little heightened and very smart”
Kathryn Van Arendonk, Vulture
“Just as Stellar, Just as Messy”
Carly Lane, Collider
“Matafeo and Patel light up the screen… Starstruck’s lead pair is endlessly endearing and watchable”
Saloni Gajjar, AV Club
“Irresistible”
Kelly Connolly, TV Guide
“Every episode is laugh-out-loud funny and they fly by!… I’m absolutely in love with it”
Sarah Carey, That Hashtag Show
“I’ve described this show to friends as a reverse Notting Hill, but to be honest it’s more charming… it’s Matafeo’s flirty chemistry with virtually everyone that makes this show so delightful”
Tom Obaro, BuzzFeed News
– Ends –
For further information contact:
Florrie Sheehan, [email protected]
Dan Lloyd, [email protected]
Chris McCluskey, [email protected]
Raina Falcon, [email protected]
Notes to Editors:
About Rose Matafeo
New Zealand born Rose has established herself as one of the most exciting new voices in comedy and is firmly fixed as the “voice of millennials” (Comedy Awards).
A regular face on screen, January saw Rose star in the feature film Baby Done (exec produced by Taika Waititi), while she has featured on BAFTA winning Taskmaster (Ch4), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV 1), Unspun with Matt Forde (Dave), Ultimate Worrier (Dave), Hypothetical (UKTV), The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice (Channel 4), The Last Leg (Channel 4), and performed on Conan (TBS). Rose has acted in BBC Two’s W1A, BBC Three’s Pls Like and Climaxed, and E4’s Dead Pixels, while she wrote and starred in the three-part series Rose Matafeo: Temp for Channel 4’s Comedy Blaps.
In the US, she also performed a stand-up slot on Conan (TBS). In New Zealand Rose is the lead writer and star of the sketch show Funny Girls (TV3) which is in its third series, and a regular on panel show 7 Days (Three Now NZ). She also starred in the feature Baby, Done (Piki Films). She is also co-host of podcast Boners of the Heart with Alice Snedden.
About Avalon
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 100 countries; multi Emmy-winner, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), the network’s most successful entertainment show launch since 2010; Starstruck, a new sitcom from the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo (HBO Max/BBC); Flatbush Misdemeanours (Showtime), a new comedy series created by and starring Dan Perlman and Kevin Iso; Breeders, a sitcom starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard (FX/Sky); a new series of the iconic British satirical puppet show, Spitting Image (BritBox UK); 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), Fantasy Football League (BBC/ITV), 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 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
