Latest news with #JonPetrie
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Jon Petrie calls for producers to 'focus on the funny' as he warns that the opportunities for international investment for scripted comedy are becoming increasingly rare
Director of BBC Comedy Jon Petrie has warned that the opportunities for international investment to significantly plug the gap for scripted comedy are becoming increasingly rare. Speaking at the BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast, Jon said the TV comedy industry had been dazzled by the drama investment model, but the market reality meant that the period of Peak TV was unsustainable. Jon said: 'The opportunities for international investment to significantly plug the gap for scripted comedy are becoming increasingly rare. This might seem at odds with what I said back in 2022 about co-producing with our American friends. That door hasn't closed entirely - but it's always been narrower for comedy, and with a wider reset happening in our industry, we need to face reality head-on. 'We all got dazzled by the drama investment model - which was understandable, given the pace of change. Brilliant shows like The Outlaws and Starstruck showed what's possible when comedy attracts drama-level investment. I'm immensely proud of these shows. 'But let's be honest about the market reality – that period of Peak TV was unsustainable. Meanwhile, production costs have skyrocketed across the board, and pure comedy - the kind that defines the UK's cultural identity - simply doesn't command the same co-production interest as its glossier comedy-drama cousins.' He also pointed to research which shows that it is possible that award-winning, popular comedy can be made on a BBC budget alone. 'It's proven that popular, award-winning, comedy can be made on a BBC budget alone. The data backs up what we've always suspected - people connect with great characters and writing, not budget.' Jon said: 'We must constantly ask: 'Does this specific spend make it funnier?' We can't out-budget global streamers, but we can be smarter and funnier and speak to UK audiences more directly.' He highlighted recent successes for BBC Comedy including Gavin & Stacey: The Finale, which was the highest rated comedy since records began in 2002; Alma's Not Normal, which recently won a BAFTA for scripted comedy; Amandaland and Ludwig. And he asked producers and creatives to develop differently by thinking of cost from the moment of conception. 'And if we keep our comedy affordable and distinctive - we won't just weather this moment. We'll shape what comes next - and make it funnier, sharper, and unmistakably ours.' The BBC Director of Comedy, who has previously spoken about the importance of sitcoms, praised those who work in the scripted comedy TV industry for consistently finding brilliance even when resources were tight. 'Our focus now must be on channelling that resourcefulness smartly. Less about 'papering over cracks' and more about being strategically focused so we can make distinctive and more about being strategically focused so we can make distinctive, impactful comedy for the long haul.' 'Think about what people actually share online. The moments that go viral aren't expensive set pieces - they're laugh-out-loud writing and performances. Amandaland and Am I Being Unreasonable clips spread across social media week after week. The last Cunk special had a total of 185 million global views across our key social platforms. He committed to keep pushing for the comedy tax credit: 'We'll keep fighting for the comedy tax credit and working with the comedy community to make the economics stack up,' he said. 'But in the meantime, in every meeting with writers, producers, directors - the question has to be: does more money make it more funny? 'If it doesn't – it's not worth the spend. Because in the end, audiences watching comedy don't care how it was made. They care if it made them laugh. LH2
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie unveils 10 star-studded new and returning shows, championing affordable, distinctive, UK comedy
BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie today announced 10 new and returning shows at the BBC Comedy Festival, as he championed affordable, distinctive comedy from across the UK. Speaking at the BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast, Jon Petrie and Eddie Doyle, Senior Head Content Commissioning BBC Northern Ireland, also announced over half a million pounds of additional, year-long funding for brand new comedy. The money will be ringfenced exclusively for production spend on new comedy in Northern Ireland for 2025/2026. BBC Comedy and BBC Northern Ireland are committing to putting the commissioning spend towards the production of comedy-focused projects, demonstrating the BBC's unwavering commitment to new comedy from across the UK. Jon confirmed: Diane Morgan's sitcom Ann Droid (w/t) about a social humanoid robot designed to keep elderly people company, exploring the hilarious intersection of technology and human connection Supernatural family sitcom Reluctant Vampire starring BAFTA winner Lenny Rush Bill's Included, which stars Rob Brydon as a middle-aged divorcee who staves off financial ruin by renting his spare rooms to students Small Prophets, created by BAFTA winner Mackenzie Crook, starring Pearce Quigley, BAFTA winner Sir Michael Palin and BAFTA winner Sophie Willan Stuffed, starring Guz Khan as an office worker who gets an unexpected Christmas bonus and takes his family to Lapland, only to find that he has to pay the money back. The return of Only Child, Funboys, The Young Offenders and Golden Cobra Ahead of the festival, BBC Northern Ireland also announced Leonard and Hungry Paul, based on the award-winning, best-selling novel by Rónán Hession Jon said: 'The BBC continues to be the biggest single investor in original comedy content in the UK. And for the second year running eight out of the top 10 scripted comedies were on the BBC. Created, written by and starring some of the UK's most brilliant homegrown talent, I'm really proud of the shows we have announced today and can't wait for BBC viewers to see them.' He added: 'Great comedy always comes back to the fundamentals: brilliant characters, sharp jokes, a unique voice. Those are the elements that endure – not massive sets or casts of thousands. 'Our priority is to keep our shows affordable and distinctive, because comedy doesn't need explosions and continuous shots, it needs punchlines, authentic voices, and that gleeful point of view that no algorithm can touch.' Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, said: 'We're known in Northern Ireland for our unique and sometimes dark sense of humour, so it's fitting that Belfast is hosting the BBC Comedy Festival this year. 'We've been doing our part to develop local comedians and comedy writers on and off screen at BBC Northern Ireland over the last number of years, and it's great that network BBC Comedy is recognising the talent that's here. The additional year-long funding of more than half a million pounds shows real faith in Northern Ireland comedy talent and will provide a decent leg up to network commissioning for the comedy sector here, like Hot House has been to factual and the Green Lit project to scripted. 'And of course, it's been exciting to announce the commissioning of Leonard & Hungry Paul and the return of Funboys which we can't wait to bring to audiences.' LH2
