The BBC has commissioned Opening Up, a new comedy created and written by Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Amy Gledhill (Alma’s Not Normal, Run Away, Taskmaster) and RTS Award nominated writer Nic Sampson (Starstruck). The six-part series will be made by Avalon for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, continuing in a rich line of scripted series created by artists with Edinburgh Festival Fringe success, such as Phoebe Waller Bridge’s Fleabag and Rose Matafeo’s Starstruck.
Opening Up, set and filmed in and around Manchester, is a warm relationship comedy about Penny (Amy Gledhill) and Rhys a long-term couple who try to fix their faltering sex life by sleeping with other people. They soon learn that entering an open relationship without a clue how they work is not a recipe for success…
Amy Gledhill and Nic Sampson say: “It’s an actual dream come true to get to make a comedy with the BBC, and their support and passion for this project has been incredible from the very start. We are thrilled to get to work with such a stacked cast and crew every day to bring this show to life. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on.”
Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy says: “Opening Up stood out to us immediately. Amy and Nic’s writing is sharp, quick-witted and properly funny, full of all the chaos, awkwardness and emotional mess of modern relationships. But underneath it all there’s real heart, and we can’t wait for BBC audiences to meet Penny and Rhys.”
Jon Thoday, executive producer at Avalon says: “We are very excited to be working with the BBC, Amy and Nic on this brilliant show. We hope that once again the Edinburgh Fringe will prove itself as an excellent breeding ground for new comedies”.
Opening Up (6 x 30’) is an Avalon production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy. The show is created and written by Amy Gledhill and Nic Sampson. The executive producers are Cath Gagon, Jules Lom, Jon Thoday and Richard Allen-Turner, the show is directed by Alice Snedden and produced by Spencer Millman. The commissioning editors for the BBC are Gregor Sharp and Roya Eslami.
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About Avalon
Avalon is a multi-award-winning talent management, television production and live promotion group with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York. Avalon, Artists Rights Group and The Agency together represent a diverse and distinctive roster of artists including actors, comedians, writers and directors, among them Academy Award, BAFTA, Emmy, Tony and Olivier Award-winners.
Avalon is the UK’s largest independent television production company, with over 40 shows in production in the last year including: hit entertainment format Taskmaster (Channel 4 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia, TV4 in Sweden, TVNorge/Discovery+ in Norway); multi-Emmy award winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); Not Going Out (BBC), the UK’s longest running sitcom on air; Tall Tales & Murder (BBC/RTE), a highly anticipated darkly comedic crime drama; upcoming live-action, sketch comedy series The Terrors of Jordan Mendoza (Adult Swim); a brand new series of the iconic satirical puppet show Spitting Image: The Rest is Bulls*!t (YouTube) and Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (Channel 5 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia). Avalon has produced over 4,000 episodes of programming for audiences in the UK, US and around the world, winning 39 Emmy Awards and BAFTAs from 100+ nominations.
Other landmark Avalon shows include Catastrophe (Amazon/Channel 4), Breeders (FX/Sky), Starstruck (HBO Max/BBC), Flatbush Misdemeanors (Showtime), Workaholics (Comedy Central), The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), TV Burp (ITV) and Fantasy Football League (BBC/ITV/Sky). Avalon has also produced over 60 comedy specials for various platforms including Amazon, HBO, Netflix and Sky, as well as numerous podcasts and radio shows, including over 300 episodes of the record-breaking, arena-touring podcast, Shagged. Married. Annoyed. with Chris & Rosie Ramsey. Avalon’s dedicated distribution arm licenses its catalogue of programmes and formats to over 200 territories worldwide.
Avalon also produces and promotes live comedy around the world and has promoted more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company. Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show, Jerry Springer: The Opera, winner of four Olivier Awards, and is currently producing the Tony and Olivier award-winning musical, Operation Mincemeat in the West End and on Broadway.
For Avalon news visit: www.avalonuk.com/press or follow @avalonent
