It was announced today (20 August 2014) that E4 has commissioned Avalon Television to produce a new 30-minute pilot with acclaimed comedy trio WITTANK.
The new commission will see WITTANK, who have previously featured on BBC Three’s showcase of the UK’s emerging comedy talent, Live At The Electric, record a new scripted pilot and further develop the series. WITTANK are currently at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe performing Old School Secrets, which has already seen multiple late-night shows added to meet demand for tickets, and is the follow up to their hit 2013 show The School.
PHIL CLARKE, Channel 4 Head of Comedy, said: “I’m very pleased that we are making a pilot with the Wittank team. They have a unique high energy attack to their comedy. It’s original and anarchic in spirit, but also accessible and charming. They keep the jokes coming thick and fast, but don’t let that get in the way of telling a good comic tale.”
JON THODAY, Joint Managing Director of Avalon Television, said: “We are very excited to be producing this show for E4. Wittank’s anarchic humour and boundless energy on stage has already proved to be a huge hit with live audiences, and I’m delighted that we are going to get the chance to develop this for television.”
An Avalon Television production, the pilot was commissioned PHIL CLARKE, Channel 4 Head of Comedy, while the Executive Producers are RICHARD ALLEN-TURNER and JON THODAY. The show will be co-written with fellow comic, DAN ATKINSON (Russell Howard’s Good News, BBC Three). Avalon Television is currently in production with: new USA hit, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); the second series of GREG DAVIES critically acclaimed new sitcom, Man Down (Channel 4); the multi-award-winning and BBC’s longest running sitcom, Not Going Out (BBC One), written by and starring LEE MACK; Comedy Central’s (USA) breakout hit Workaholics; and Catastrophe, a new comedy series written by and starring ROB DELANEY and SHARON HORGAN (Channel 4).
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For more information please contact:
Dan Lloyd at Avalon on: 020 7598 7222 or email: [email protected]
What the press has said about WITTANK:
“Beautiful narrative sketch comedy…Masterful”
Sunday Times
“Excellent. Inspired and resolutely daft”
Independent
“Ballsy, brash, and bonkers”
Stage
“A bracingly fresh approach to their art form… accomplished writers and performers… considerable individual talents”
Guardian
* * * *
The Daily Telegraph
WITTANK biographies:
KIERAN BOYD was a semi-finalist in So You Think You&re Funny 2009 and the Amused Moose Laugh-Off 2010. At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2009 and 2010 he compered the stand-up showcase, Comedy Baby, 2011 saw KIERAN perform in stand-up show Don’t Mess and direct a sketch show from The Leeds Tealights. In 2012, he performed in the Fringe’s longest running comedy showcase, The Comedy Zone.
MARK COOPER-JONES, recently on Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC Three), Chortle Best Newcomer 2012 nominee and Loaded Laftas runner-up 2011, (Sir), is an authoritative stand-up with a penchant for rules and ‘Countries and Capitals’ tests – mainly due to his past experience as a geography teacher.
NAZ OSMANOGLU, is known as Live at the Electric’s Spanish lothario ANTONIO, has been on Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC Three) and will appear in an episode of the upcoming series of Plebs (ITV2). NAZ was winner of the Amused Moose Laugh-off Competition 2009 and finalist in Edinburgh’s So You Think You’re Funny 2009.
