It was announced today (27 January 2014) that the ratings and critical hit, Dave Gorman Modern Life Is Goodish will return to UKTV entertainment channel Dave for a further two extended series.
The Liberty Bell Productions show was the highest rating new commission on Dave last year and achieved an average audience of 532K (up 40% on slot average), peaking with 643K for episode 5 (up 69% on the slot average). The series also successfully attracted a younger audience to the channel with 42% 16-34 (26% up on the slot average) and is estimated by UKTV to have reached 5.2 million individuals. The first series, presented using DAVE GORMAN’S trademark blend of stand-up and documentary comedy, saw the comedian share observations and frustrations on a wide range of modern world phenomena including idiocy on the internet, ill-thought-out technological solutions, unquestioned advertising logic, online ‘news’ and one-click agreements to pages of terms and conditions.
RICHARD WATSHAM, Senior Commissioning Editor for Dave, said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming Dave Gorman back to the channel and to be forging a strong relationship with him that will span the next two years. I think we’ve found a format that really plays to Dave’s strengths, brilliant wit and observation with a large dollop of mischief; he’s found a rich vein that has a genuine resonance with our viewers and most importantly is very funny!”
JAMIE ISAACS, Executive Producer for Liberty Bell, said: “It’s been a great privilege to work with Dave Gorman on his new series. We’ve also all felt huge creative support from the channel and are delighted to get to develop the series even further.”
STEVE NORTH, General Manager for Dave, added: “Dave Gorman has quickly become a firm favourite with viewers. His unique style of humour has proved to be a perfect fit for the channel and it’s a testament to the incredible success of the show that we have commissioned two more series for Dave.”
Dave Gorman Modern Life Is Goodish was commissioned by RICHARD WATSHAM for Dave. The show will continue to be produced by NICK MARTIN (Have I Got News For You), produced by JAMES FIDLER (Frank Skinner’s Opinionated) and directed by PAUL WHEELER (Live At The Apollo), while the Executive Producers are JAMIE ISAACS for Liberty Bell and IAIN COYLE for Dave.
The 8 x 60 min series are set to transmit in the autumn of 2014 and 2015.
ends
What the press said about series one of Dave Gorman Modern Life Is Goodish
“Dave Gorman is a clever and inventive comic… and Modern Life Is Goodish shows why he is so popular”
Simon Horsford, The Daily Telegraph
“in the study of modern miscellany Dave Gorman is the equivalent of a professor emeritus… Not so much a stand-up comedian as the funniest teacher fans never had… Gorman is an alternative comedian in the most literal sense. There’s no one else quite like him.”
Ian Burrell, The Independent
“When TV goodish is perfect”
David Stephenson, Sunday Express
“TV Gold”
Ally Ross, The Sun
“Dave Gorman is funny and brilliant in equal measure.”
David Chater, The Times
For more information please contact: Dan Lloyd at Avalon on: 020 7598 7222 or email: [email protected]
Notes to editors
About Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell Productions, formed in autumn 2002, specialises in the production of television documentaries and features, factual entertainment, current affairs, drama-documentary and youth programming. Productions include: The Three Day Nanny (Channel 4), Al Murray’s German Adventure (BBC FOUR), Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory (Channel 4), Portillo on Thatcher: The Lady’s Not For Spurning (BBC FOUR), The Alastair Campbell Diaries (BBC TWO), Frank Skinner on George Formby (BBC FOUR), Three Men In A Boat (BBC TWO), The Grumpy Guides to… (BBC TWO), Grumpy Old Men (BBC TWO), Grumpy Old Women (BBC TWO), Why We Went to War (More 4), Real Life: Beating Breast Cancer (ITV1), The Meaning of Life (BBC ONE) and The Widow’s Tale (BBC TWO).
What the press has said about previous Liberty Bell productions:
Portillo on Thatcher: The Lady’s Not For Spurning
“Gordon Brown and David Cameron should watch it. Tony Blair should get a hold of a tape and reflect on what might have been. Media bosses who only commission films if they portray politicians as corrupt and mad should take note also… I know people with only a passing interest in politics who were gripped.”
Steve Richards, The Independent
The Alastair Campbell Diaries
“Just as DVD extras allow you to see the human fallibility that lies behind the polished exterior of the finished film, Campbell’s diary fills in the engrossing trivia of off-stage politics… it is completely engrossing.”
Thomas Sutcliffe, The Independent
The Widow’s Tale
“This complex and moving film is one of the television highlights of the year so far.”
Andrew Male, The Sunday Times
Grumpy Old Men
“The whole programme put me into an uncharacteristically, seethingly good mood… Wonderful stuff”
A.A. Gill, The Sunday Times
Al Murray’s German Adventure
“Murray makes a fine TV historian: interested, articulate and knowledgeable…A breathless hour around a stunning, wintery Germany that will probably leave most viewers wanting more on everything…Al Murray would be our man for the job.”
Gabriel Tate, Times Out
About Dave (www.joindave.co.uk) / @join_dave)
Satirical and edgy, Dave is the home of witty banter. Featuring the best in contemporary entertainment including Suits, QI, Red Dwarf X, Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You. Dave also showcases popular original series, such as Argumental, Dave’s One Night Stand, Dara O Briain: School of Hard Sums, Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask, Crackanory, Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish and Ross Noble Freewheeling, all laden with the biggest names in British comedy.
Where to find Dave: Sky channel 111, Virgin TV channel 128, Freeview 12.
About UKTV (press.uktv.co.uk / @UKTV_Press / corporate.uktv.co.uk)
UKTV is the multi-award winning media company that reaches over 42 million viewers per month.
UKTV¹s ten imaginative channel brands – Watch, Dave, Gold, Alibi, Eden, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home and Good Food – include the most watched non-PSB channel, the most watched channel in the Factual genre and the most watched channels in the Lifestyle genre (Pay and Free). The company’s most recent financial results showed a record-breaking year-end revenue of £262m, and operating profit at £71m.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC and Channel 4 content, and embracing technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT Vision, TalkTalk, YouView, plus direct On Demand digital services. The network distributes its highly valued programmes to 200 territories around the world and supplies Sky with more hours of HD content than anyone else.
Now celebrating its 21st year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV – an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) – is proud to be the only British broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.
