Comedy

Daniel Sloss: Finding comedy in chaos

“I understand my comedy isn’t for everyone, I would never want to be a comedian that appealed to everyone,” admits the Scottish comedian.

Describing his sense of humour as a “darkness”, Sloss often questions offensive comedy in his stand up. “My intention is never to offend…you’re choosing to be offended.”

“I don’t enjoy truly offending anyone, I’m still growing and learning. [But] there is a level of narcissism to being offended by comedy that I am jealous of. You go to a comedian’s show and sit there and think, ‘is this about me?’, that’s all being offended is.”

BBC orders second series of RTS Award-winning comedy Dreaming Whilst Black

Salmon (Chivalry) stars in the series as Kwabena, a recruiter with big dreams of being a filmmaker. Loosely inspired by Salmon’s life, Kwabena embarks on a series of opportunities trying to get his start in film, whilst also paying rent, dealing with love, and battling his own daydreams.

Channel 4 commissions new comedy created by and starring Rosie Jones

Jones stars as Emily, a young woman who has lost her state benefits after being made redundant. She is highly educated, hilarious and quick witted, but she also has very little left to lose, and so building an illegal drugs empire seems like the natural next step.

Emily’s cerebral palsy works in her favour; all her life people have been overlooking her and pretending she’s not there, and now this means her new business flies completely under the radar. Her disability becomes the perfect disguise.

Channel 4 commissions new comedy thriller from writer of Derry Girls

Like Derry Girls, McGee’s new comedy focuses on a Northern Irish female friendship group, but this time one in their late thirties. Robyn, Saoirse and Dara have been friends since high school. Now, Robyn is a mother with three young boys and a penchant for swearing, Saoirse is a successful writer who can’t help but self-destruct, and Dara still lives in her childhood bedroom whilst caring for her elderly parent full-time.

Casting announced for new Daniel Lawrence Taylor comedy Boarders

Boarders will follow five black teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds who receive scholarships to an elite boarding school, St Gilberts. Leaving their homes in inner-city London for the roller-coaster of boarding school, they go on personal journeys and find out how the other half live.

Two of the lead actors, Sekou Diaby and Aruna Jalloh, will be making their screen debuts alongside Josh Tedeku (A Town Called Malice), Jodie Campbell (Bulletproof), and Myles Kamwendo (The School for Good and Evil).

Working Lives: Comedy Writer Kaamil Shah

Did you always want to be a writer?

I wanted to be a director when, aged seven, I saw the behind-the-scenes Lord of the Rings documentaries. It was fascinating to see Peter Jackson running around and I thought, “That’s what I want to do.”

Life gets in the way and you’re pulled in other directions but, at Cambridge University, where I was studying history, there was a talk by the film screenwriter Jay Basu. I went away buzzing from that talk and, since then, everything I’ve done has been working towards being a screenwriter.

ITVX commissions new comedy G’wed celebrating the city of Liverpool

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At the heart of G’wed is the superficially disobeying Reece, who, despite appearing as a loud mouthed anti-hero, has a surprising knowledge of John Steinbeck, can quote Mother Teresa, and has a very mature take on grief. Alongside him is Aimee, emotionally mature and fiercely determined, and Mia-Louise, a manipulator of men who don't deserve any better.