Comedy news: Broadcast TV Comedy Forum round-up

Tweet

This week saw the annual Broadcast magazine Television Comedy Forum, where channel executives, comedians and writers rub shoulder and swap thoughts, and it was certainly a lively and interesting event. Here SSP runs through the day's main headlines...

• There were mixed messages from channel executives about 2010's comedy output. BBC One will be looking for fresh new shows, but admitted they might not necessarily be comedies. Channel 4 said is looking for comedy shows to help fill the 250 hour void left by the axing of Big Brother. ITV are hoping to commission new one-hour comedies and expect to sign more 'entertainment programmes' like Celebrity Juice (can we consider that a comedy?) and Comedy Central wants new 'glossy' comedy shows.
• Jimmy Carr defended the comedy panel show, asking caustically: "Why are there too many funny shows entertaining the public?" He also said shows like Mock The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats often gave emerging stand-ups their first television exposure.
• Channel 4 comedy and entertainment controller Andrew Newman urged the BBC to ignore its "psychotic" critics and continue producing comedy it felt was right. He said the Daily Mail had a "psychotic agenda" against them and wouldn't approve "whatever they do".
• Ben Miller revealed he and Alun Armstrong decided to drop the word 'gypsy' from a sketch in the Armstrong and Miller show after a meeting with BBC executives. He added he was concerned "[newspaper] copywriters are holding a sway over comedy" in the post-Sachsgate climate.
• Harry Enfield divulged that the new series of Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul has been relegated to BBC Two after the second series scored poor viewing figures. He said he didn't understand the decision but was happy on Two "because everyone says that's better for comedy anyways".
• BBC Vision director Jana Bennett called for new investment in TV comedy, saying the economic downturn had turned the genre into a "market failure".