British Sitcoms In Production

The following new sitcoms are currently being written, filmed or evaluated by commissioners. If you have updated news on any of the below, have heard about a new sitcom not listed or would like to help us create a guide for any of these programmes please do get in touch.

Tickets may still be available for some of the shows listed on this page. See our tickets page for links to audience organisers. For details on other types of show in production (reality, gameshows, dramas etc) see our friends at TheCustard.TV - they have a very comprehensive list of UK shows in production!

Stay tuned: we will shortly be converting this section over to our new website - it'll be more interactive and contain more information.

Massive (BBC3) - New Entry

New six part sitcom from BBC Comedy North. It is about Danny (Ralf Little) and Shay (Carl Rice) who form their own record label called "Shady Records". Johnny Vegas also stars as Shay's father. Other expected cast include Paul Kaye, Philip Jackson, Christine Bottomley, Lorraine Cheshire, Joel Fry, Steve Furst, Beverley Rudd, Faye McKeever, Joanne King, and Craig Parkinson. Filming is currently taking place and the series will be broadcast in the autumn. Jim Poyser (Shameless) will be producer and David Kerr (That Mitchell and Webb Look) will direct.

In My Country (BBC2 Pilot) - New Entry

Sitcom pilot written by Simon Nye set in a run-down guesthouse in North London. The show has been pitched as both 'Men Behaving Badly meets Rising Damp' and 'Only Fools And Horses mixed with Goodness Gracious Me'. Omid Djalili plays Navid, a down-on-his-luck Syrian immigrant who is a permanent resident of the guest house, while Stephen K Amos plays Johnny, a Nigerian newly arrived in Britain. Other characters are an immigrant from Kosovo, half a dozen Polish builders who work 18 hours a day, and the landlady who lives next door. Pilot recorded in front of a live studio audience in May 2008.

Beautiful People (BBC2)

A family comedy by Gimme, Gimme, Gimme writer Jonathan Harvey based upon Nasty - the book of memoirs written by New York window dresser Simon Doonan. A full series has been commissioned by BBC2, it is currently being filmed. Beautiful People is being overseen by ex-BBC comedy head Jon Plowman and is being produced by Justin Davies. Meera Syal, Olivia Colman and Luke Ward-Wilkinson star.

Zoom (Radio 4 Pilot)

A brand new sitcom featuring Mark Evans and his fellow Mitchell and Webb stablemate James Bachman. Set in a world just like ours - only sillier and a lot more exciting - Zoom features the adventures of flatmates James and Mark and their ex-Special forces neighbour, Ken. In this pilot episode James and Mark - lifelong friends, lifelong rivals - find their world turned upside down when a new neighbour moves into the building. Before long she is playing loud music, coughing into a megaphone and playing her oompah records non-stop. Their attempts to regain control of their lives will take them on a thrilling journey involving Nicholas Parsons, Melvyn Bragg, Happy Shopper grenade launchers and an international poetry competition involving fists. In Zoom the stories are big, the characters are struggling, and you're only ever a few seconds away from something bad happening to Mark.

Dani's House (CBBC)

Kids sitcom starring Dani Harmer. More details.

Clone (BBC Three)

A classic 'fish out of water' comedy revolving around the first human clone. The clone doesn't turn out to be the super-soldier its creator expects. Instead, it is more likely to hug someone than shoot them. Created by Ash Atalla's Roughcut TV. More details.

Miranda Hart's Joke Shop (BBC2)

The premise of this new prime-time sitcom is that Miranda Hart has blown her inheritance on a joke: a joke shop. Her mother wants her to get engaged, but she just wants to be able to talk to Garry Rutter without making a fool of herself. Her old chums from school are no help ("You'll always be Queen Kong to us"), and the delivery man calls her 'Sir'.

Miranda Hart's Joke Shop is created by Miranda Hart and written by Miranda with Tony Roche (Thick of it, World of Pub). The cast includes Miranda Hart, Sarah Hartland, Elizabeth Bennett, Tom Ellis, Belinda Stewart-Wilson, Katy Wix, Sust Kane, Danny Edwards, Stephen Evans, Ben Forster, Jason Watkins, Simon Baines Norton and Josie D'Arby. Filmed in March, it was script edited by Richard Hurst and includes additional material by Paul Kerensa and Leisa Rea. The show's produced by Nerys Evans and directed by Gareth Carrivick.

More details. Due to air later in the year on BBC2

The Old Guys (BBC1)

Sitcom about the relationship between Tom & Roy who live together. Tom (Roger Lloyd Pack) and Roy believe there is life in the old dog yet - but it might just need a kick. That is, of course, when they are not lusting after sexy neighbour Sally. Tom has a dreary daughter Amber who is having a relationship with a vicar, Phil.

This comedy is a result of the BBC's Last Laugh Talent Search. The pilot was written by Armstrong & Bain and competition winner James Donohue. The cast includes Geoff McGivern and Clive Swift.

 Simon Blackwell has taken over the writing for the full series.

Parents Of The Band (BBC1)

Jimmy Nail (Auf Wiedersehen Pet) returns to BBC One to star as Phil Palmer, a former Eighties pop musician with a single solitary hit to his name. Phil is the recently separated father of Jack, drummer in a teen band.

Created by Jimmy Nail and Tarquin Gotch - who together brought the series Crocodile Shoes to BBC and the movie Still Crazy to the big screen - Parents Of The Band is an ensemble comedy following three 15-year-old boys who want to rebel, meet girls and generally have a good time. In the minds of a group of hormone-addled teenage boys the best way of doing this is to form their own band.

So, what could possibly stand in the way of the boys and their small-scale ambitions? The answer to that would be their parents. Not because they disapprove of the band or their music, it's much worse - they love it! Where the kids see nothing more than chicks, parties and alcopops, their parents see limousines, luxury yachts and Led Zeppelin.

Sadly for the boys their parents are the first generation to embrace the concept of "middle-youth" by listening to young music, wearing young clothes and staving off middle-age with anything from jogging to botox. Led by Phil Palmer, the parents are determined to live vicariously through the highs and lows of their children's band.

So ensues an ongoing battle in the Palmer household where Jack has to fight harder than ever to create some kind of generation gap between him and his over-enthusiastic, meddling father Phil.

Jimmy Nail said: "It's lovely to be returning to BBC One with a brand new show. Half-hour comedy is something I've not done before; as such it offers a new challenge. We have a wonderful team – some of them new acquaintances, some old friends – and we'll be working hard to ensure the end product is special."

Parents Of The Band will be six 30-minute epidsodes. Parents Of The Band is a co-venture between BBC Vision Productions and Serious Entertainment Productions (owned by the series co-creators, Jimmy Nail and Tarquin Gotch).

The series is written by David Cummings (co-writer of Happiness, Kevin & Perry Go Large) and script edited by writing partnership, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.

The producer is Charlie Hanson (Extras) and executive producer is Kenton Allen, BBC Creative Head of Comedy Talent and Comedy North.

Life Of Riley (BBC1)

New six-part Scottish produced sitcom for BBC One, starring Caroline Quentin. Life Of Riley centres around second time round newly-weds Rosie (Quentin) and Jim, and their dysfunctional family. The ever-optimistic Rosie suddenly finds herself at the head of a modern-day extended family made up of a complication of children, stepchildren, step siblings and half siblings - with a few ex-partners and in-laws thrown in. It is written by Georgia Pritchett (Smack The Pony) and will be produced for BBC Scotland by Catherine Bailey Productions Limited (Feel The Force).

Bob Mortimer Sitcom (BBC)

Unknown title. Sitcom written by Bob Mortimer. Mackenzie Crook and Iain Lee star as two guys who live together. "Crazy things happen, like Rod Stewart sending an electrified box with 75 quid in it. The guys try to break into it but keep getting shocks." Filming in April 2008.

In My Country (BBC2 Pilot)

A sitcom in development for BBC2 that's pitched as 'a multicultural Rising Damp'. Mark Freeland from the BBC says: "It's about this landlord who's a slightly dodgy geezer on the make, and he's got a black tenant and a Pole and there's a Thai character in it. But we didn't sit down and say we want a multicultural sitcom. It was just a really good script."

The Friday Night Club (Pilot)

A brand new sitcom pilot about a disparate but devoted group of 20-somethings, friends since Uni, who go their own way all week but meet up every Friday evening at the same bar to decide how to spend the evening... or even the weekend. Pilot filmed at Pinewood on Thursday 20th March.

Grandma's House (BBC2 Pilot)

Sitcom by Never Mind the Buzzcocks' host Simon Amstell, based on his own upbringing in a Jewish family. The pilot is being made by Tiger Aspect.

Update: Reportedly this pilot was filmed in March 2008 in a house in Gants Hill, Ilford. It is believed that the house is near where Amstell's grandparents lived when he was young.

Arcadia (Pilot)

Arcadia is a youthful sitcom pilot 'from the makers of The IT Crowd' (we are assuming this means TalkbackThames). It is set around Clacton's finest computer games shop 'Games 4 U'. The shop is in financial trouble and ever-so-slightly neurotic manager Tony (Edinburgh Fringe Award winner Nick Mohammed) is doing his best to keep things afloat, ably assisted by Mr Sci-Fi convention himself, Jeremy Stokes (Matt Green), and the attractive, though unobtainable, Bella.

Tony believes he can design games better than the ones he sells; the problem is all his ideas are rubbish. Jeremy has played and completed every computer game ever released while still managing to have a surprising amount of luck with the ladies. This is all the more remarkable considering Jeremy regularly arrives for work dressed as gaming characters no one else has heard of. Bella is the gorgeous level-headed young assistant and the apple of Tony's eye but unfortunately she is more interested in the mysterious hacker Clint who masquerades as an asexual-cyber-terrorist but is in fact a nice middle-class boy who still lives at home with his mum.

This pilot was filmed on the 8th March.

Vic and Bob Superhero Sitcom

Vic Reeves has announced that he and comedy partner Bob Mortimer are working on a new sitcom. Reeves told North-East newspaper The Journal: "It's about super heroes who get skills through a telegraph pole that malfunctions and they go around helping people in their local community."

Double Science (Radio 4)

Sitcom starring Perrier nominated comics Justin Edwards (The Thick of It, Respectable), Ben Willbond (Starter For Ten) and Rebecca Front (Nighty Night, Alan Partridge). The comedy is about incompetent science teachers Colin Jackson and Kenneth Farley-Pitman, who work in a sixth form college that specialises in drama with little or no interest in AS Level Science. Their world is turned upside down by the arrival of an ambitious new boss, Alison Hatton. Worst still, they are constantly goaded by their nemesis Danny Woods – the smarmy drama teacher. All they want to do is to be left alone and concentrate on their homebrewed ale.

Episodes recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre on Friday 18 and Wednesday 30 April.

The Cup (BBC2)

6 x 30 mins comedy series for BBC2 from producer Sue Vertue and her Hartswood Film company. Based on a Canadian format, The Cup has been adapted by writers Jack Docherty and Moray Hunter, and is directed by Matt Lipsey. More info.

Terry Across The Mersey (Pilot)

A pilot filmed in July 2007: Terry Across the Mersey is about a chancer who leads a complicated and risky double life. The tag line of the show is: 'Two lives, two wives and too much to lose'.

The pilot stars Dean Sullivan (best known for playing Jimmy Corkhill in Brookside) as Terry Valentine and other confirmed cast members include Suzanne Collins, Anne Marie Davies, Pauline Fleming and fellow 'ex-Brookie' Philip Olivier. Former Game for a Laugh and GMTV star Rustie Lee has also been cast in a pivotal role. A Naked Poet Production. The producer is Kevin McMahon.

From the producers: "An exciting announcement may be made shortly".

Hey Hey We're the Monks (BBC2 Pilot)

Thirty-one, unemployed and single, Gary Woodcroft (played by James Corden from Gavin and Stacey) has never done a single useful thing in his life. Allowed, through some clerical error, to collect benefits uninterrupted for 18 years, Gary has cost the taxpayer more than the war. But all that is about to change.

There aren't many places so chronically understaffed that they'd take on someone of Gary's prospects (nil) so the unexpected vacancy at Buckley Abbey is a Godsend. Plus the food's free, the accommodation's free and, if he's honest, the vow of celibacy doesn't make that much difference.

This BBC2 pilot, which was filmed on the 20th February 2008, also stars David Bamber (Rome), Fergus Craig (Comedy Shuffle), Justin Edwards (The Thick of It) and Geoffrey Whitehead (The Worst Week of My Life).

Absolutely Scrabulous (BBC Pilot)

Pilot sitcom about Scrabble players written by Richard Herring. More details

Bewitched (BBC)

A BBC remake of ABC's Bewitched, the classic American sitcom which ran for eight series in the States between 1964 and 1972. The sitcom follows the life and adventures of Samantha, a witch married to a suburban advertising executive.

The original sitcom is being adapted for a modern UK audience by My Hero creator Paul Mendelson. Although casting details have not yet officially been announced it is believed the comedy will star Sheridan Smith and Frances De La Tour. Filming is due to start in early 2008.

Candy Chops (Jones the Film pilot)

Curb Your Enthusiasm-style sitcom pilot by Kelly Marcel and actor Tom Hardy. Candy Chops is being made in association with Rob Brydon's production company Jones the Film. Hardy, who recently appeared in the National Theatre's production of The Man of Mode and is to star as Bill Sikes in the BBC's forthcoming adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, told The Stage the sitcom was similar in style to Curb Your Enthusiasm. He said it had been co-written with Kelly Marcel, who wrote the book and lyrics to the Off-Broadway show Debbie Does Dallas - The Musical. A broadcaster is not currently lined up to broadcast the series.

Till I Die (ITV Pilot)

Pilot sitcom about a group of London-based Man City football fans who get the train up to Manchester each weekend to watch their team. Hat Trick have already filmed the pilot. It stars Steve Edge and former Coronation star Sally Lindsay as married fans and was written by Aschlin Ditta.

Soapington Way (ITV1)

Spoof soap opera set around the duck pond of the fictional town of Waffingham. The show has been created by comedian Harry Hill and the writers include Dan Maier, David Quantick, Brenda Gilhooly, Paul Hawksbee and Andrew Collins. Hill plays the part of landlord Arthur Buttons who falls in love with his mad sex-change sister.

The comedy will star Mark Benton, Greg Davies, Tim Key and Liza Tarbuck. Un-confirmed rumours suggest Jan Francis, John Thompson, Paul Usher, Kate Robbins, Josie D'Arby, Karen Taylor and Carli Norris also appear.

Note: Working title was Extreem Soap.

Knocker (Radio 4)

In Knocker, Neil Edmond (of The Consultants) stars as Ian Dunn, the only long serving market researcher for International Query Board UK. Armed with irrational surveys, a broken clipboard and an unflagging commitment to the Market Research Code of Conduct he must persuade a hostile public to part with their precious opinions. Written by Edmond; also stars Paula Wilcox.

Psychoville (BBC2)

A dark comedy starring The League of Gentlemen's Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. Executive produced by ex-BBC comedy head Jon Plowman. Commissioned for a full series following a non-broadcast pilot. Goes into production in September 2008. Reece Shearsmith:  There's a set of characters, all with their own stories. It's in the same vein as The League Of Gentlemen, very dark and funny - hopefully. 

No Heroics (ITV2)

A single-camera sitcom by Drew Pearce about the lives of a group of friends who just happen to be off-duty superheroes. The series will follow the lives of four London-based off-duty superheroes and their struggles with love and fame (or the lack of it!).

The pilot, which was produced by Tiger Aspect in April, has been given the green light by ITV2 - an eight episode run is now in production with a tx date planned for late 2008. Written and produced by Drew Pearce, direction by Ben Gregor. More info.

The Wrong Door (BBC3)

We think this project is a sitcom but don't know much about it yet so could be wrong. It's a comedy show commissioned by BBC3 boss Danny Cohen which will mix live action with CGI.

Jeremy Lion Sitcom - Unknown Title (ITV1 Pilot)

A sitcom pilot for ITV written by and starring Justin Edwards (Respectable, The Thick of It). The comedy is based upon Edwards' hit Perrier nominated Edinburgh Fringe show which is based around the character of Jeremy Lion - a drunken children's entertainer (YouTube clip). The comedy will also star Miranda Hart (Hyperdrive) and Gus Brown (Laurence and Gus). The pilot is being filmed at Granada Manchester on 18th July 2007.

Adam and Eve (BBC1 Pilot)

A new romantic comedy from Coupling creator Steven Moffat. It tells the story of a boss called Adam and his PA, called Eve, who have known each other all their lives but never get together. The writer is describing it as a "love story that never happens". The BBC have shown an interest in the show, which is being produced by Hartswood Films, but have not yet formally commissioned it.

Zip and Hollow (Pilot)

Sitcom written by Penny Croft (the daughter of David Croft). Set in the Suffolk village of Ixworth, Zip and Hollow follows the lives of five friends, who come together once a week at a local Pilates class. The show's tag line is "East Anglian and proud of it!". The cast includes Liza Goddard, Helen Atkinson Wood (Blackadder), Jimmy Yuill (Wycliffe), Desmond Barrit, Richard Stacey, Niky Wardley (Catherine Tate) and Bridget Turner (Dr Who). Produced and directed by Roy Gould (Booze Cruise), the pilot for the series has been filmed on location by independent production company Worldwide Theatrix. More info

Here Comes the Queen (Pilot)

Another pilot from Worldwide Theatrix. Filmed in Bury St Edmunds, Here Comes the Queen is written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft (the team behind the hit comedies 'Allo 'Allo and Dad's Army). Starring Les Dennis and ex-EastEnder Wendy Richards, this pilot follows the story of a brother and sister from Romford who discover they are the two remaining heirs to a Russian throne. Also appearing are Philip Madoc, Burt Kwouk, Janie Dee, Mark Dexter and Niky Wardley. Currently in post production, the producer is Penny Croft.

Hibbert and Long (ITV)

Comedy pilot for ITV1 written by Peep Show creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong. Billed as a modern take on BBC classic The Liver Birds, the sitcom follows the lives of two flatmates in their late twenties. The pilot of Hibbert and Long stars stand-up comedian Kerry Godliman; Lucy Montgomery (Tittybangbang); Tom Ellis (EastEnders) and Simon Day (The Fast Show). Produced by ITV Productions.

The Brontes (BBC2 Pilot)

Sitcom about The Bronte Sisters created and produced by Siobhan Rhodes-Johnson for Tiger Aspect. The series is written and performed by Bridget Christie, Colin Hoult, Joanna Neary and Isy Suttie (who play the siblings). Stewart Lee is the Director and Script Editor.

Finding Fame (Pilot)

An independently produced pilot written and directed by Christopher Moffatt and Oliver Doone. The comedy is about two men called Robert and Kyle who try to meet their idol, fictional singer Sally Asquith. It is set up in a mockumentary style.

Thor sitcom (BBC2 Pilot?)

Unknown title. A sitcom about Norse thunder god Thor written by Jerry Springer: The Opera writer Stewart Lee. Optioned by an independent production company (which one is unknown) for possible BBC2 pilot.

Crawford Park (BBC Pilot)

A Pozzitive Productions pilot written by Shaun Pye and Alan Connor (Monkey Dust, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross) and produced / directed by Geoff Posner (Little Britain).

"Crawford Park is a comedy set in the ever-popular world of conspiracy theory, UFOs, and mysterious intergalactic comings-and-goings, contrasting hilariously with the humdrum worklife of the average British skiver... Taking its cue from the blockbuster movie 'Men In Black', it proves that everything you've ever suspect is true. But even worse than that - it's funny!"

Celia Imrie (dinnerladies, Bridget Jones, Calendar Girls) stars as Dr. Fleishmann, the tyrannical seen-it-all-before boss with a vulnerable side. Marcus Brigstocke (The Late Edition) is Alan, the funny, quick-witted but work-shy boffin and Victoria Hamilton (Victoria & Albert, Goodbye Mr Chips) is a genius with distinctly ladette tendencies.

The pilot was recorded in front of a live studio audience in December 2006.

Robert Popper Sitcom - Unknown Title (C4)

Actor and writer Robert Popper (Look Around You, Zig and Zag) is currently writing a sitcom for Channel 4. Details unknown but perhaps it's based on his series of Timewaster books?

Great News (BBC1 Pilot)

A sitcom set in the sleepy offices of Stowebridge Times, a local Wiltshire newspaper. The comedy, which comes from the team behind People Like Us (the 1999 - 2001 mockumentary), will revolve around "six hapless journalists who are by turn competitive, ambitious, incompetent and lazy". The pilot, which was filmed in December 2006, stars Laura Solon (Perrier winning standup); Kevin McNally (Life of Mars) and Daisy Haggard (Man Stroke Woman). More info.

10:96 (BBC3)

A police sitcom from the BBC's Manchester-based comedy unit. 10:96 will star Neil Fitzmaurice (Phoenix Nights) and Chris Bisson (Coronation Street) as police officers patrolling Manchester's rough but fictional Langthorpe Estate. Fitzmaurice plays acting Sergeant Gary Barnes, who is overly-sensitive about causing offence and consequently often says the wrong thing to his Asian partner, rookie PC David Sands, played by Bisson.

Ardal O'Hanlon Sitcom - Unknown Title (BBC)

Comedy series written by Ardal O'Hanlon about a cable TV channel in western Ireland.

Delayed / Not-Commissioned / Unlikely To Proceed

Too Much Too Young (BBC1, Pilot)

A new sitcom pilot for BBC1 about a pair of childhood sweethearts who beat the odds, and stayed together. Angus and Shell started their family when they were just 18, but with daughter Kayleigh now on the cusp of adulthood they're discovering a whole new world of stress and worry. Bringing up kids is tough enough at the best of times – just imagine trying it when you've still got a lot of growing up to do yourself.

This pilot starred Dylan Moran (Black Books) and Maxine Peake (Shameless). The comedy has been written by Paul Rose (My Parents Are Aliens, Eastenders) and is directed by Nick Wood (Black Books, The Crouches, Grownups). Produced by Hattrick Productions. The pilot was filmed in front of a live Manchester studio audience on October 1st 2006.

Update: Has hit a block following the resignation of BBC1 Controller Peter Fincham. That said, Paul Rose wrote on his blog in December:"Too Much Too Young isn't dead yet". There's likely to be major changes in cast though.

What Would Jon Holmes Do? (Five)

aka Two Worlds Colliding. Channel 5 commissioned a script from writer and comedian Jon Holmes as he turns the sitcom pen on his own life more or less as it happens. Or rather, as it fails to happen to his satisfaction. No news for a while on this likely cancelled as part of the C5 budget constraints.

Fire Station (BBC Pilot)

White Watch are fire fighters in a small town but oppressive health and safety regulations mean there are not many fires to fight. They remain men, and a woman, with a mission: to cope with their various personality disorders, look heroic in uniform, and get very good at darts. Written by Simon Nye. Produced by TalkbackThames.

The pilot was filmed in mid-July 2006 at real fire stations in Canvey and Leigh (Essex) and in a studio at Television Centre. The cast includes Johnny Vegas, Paterson Joseph (Green Wing), Alan Johnson (Peep Show), John Henshaw (Early Doors), Cristian Solimeno (Footballers Wives) and Tameka Empson (3 Non Blondes).

Still not made it to TV - idea must have been dropped?!?

My Generation (BBC Pilot)

A comedy about the lives of five geriatrics who prove that today's older generation are less about Horlicks and slippers than self-medication and exploiting the system. Also written by Simon Nye. Produced by TigerAspect.

Still not made it to TV - idea must have been dropped?!?

Night School (Five)

Eight-part sitcom about a husband who teaches an investigative journalism course at an adult education college. Written by Hugo Simms.

Not ordered by Channel Five.

Bread Heads (Five)

A new sitcom by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain who also write Peep Show (Channel 4's cult hit). The comedy is about a pair of entrepreneurs who cook up crazy ideas that they think can change the world.

Not ordered by Channel Five.

Primrose Hill (Five)

Primrose Hill was commissioned by Five in 2006. It was to be a "bawdy satire" on the actors, models and pop stars who live in the north London area. The comedy was written by Gimme Gimme Gimme creator Jonathan Harvey.

Not ordered by Channel Five.

Shush (Pilot, BBC3)

Father Ted writer Arthur Mathews has written this "a stupid narrative comedy set in a municipal library". The main three characters will be played by sitcom regulars Morwenna Banks, Rebecca Front, and Simon Greenhall. The pilot was recorded at the BBC in September 2006.

Home (BBC)

Little Britain star David Walliams is writing a new sitcom with Rob Brydon. The show, possibly named Home, will see the writers playing two constantly bickering brothers who run a care home. Ronnie Corbett will appear as a playboy OAP - the only male resident in the home which is otherwise populated by female pensioners.

UPDATE: This sitcom has been on our list for about two years now - every now and again Walliams, Brydon or Corbett mention that they are to start work on this soon but nothing yet.

La Triviata (C4)

A new sitcom from Simon Pegg (of "Spaced" and "Shaun of the Dead" fame) about a pub quiz team.

Likely to be a way off yet as Pegg, Frost etc have until recently been tied up with Hot Fuzz.

The Whipping Game

Sitcom about a down on their luck couple who move into a flat previously occupied by a Professional Dominatrix. Dave is a thirty-something cab driver who is always looking for the next big thing while Lisa, the more practical of the two, is content to let Dave do the dreaming. Within days of moving into their new home, they learn that the flat's previous occupant was a Professional Dominatrix who has since moved to Spain after finding her very own "Richard Gere" And that would be that save for one important thing... The telephone line is still connected... And the Clients are still calling! [Website]

Unlikely to find a commission now as was beaten to broadcast by 2006 sitcom Respectable which had a similar theme.

The Mission (Pilot)

Perfect Day Productions have a new Sci-Fi sitcom, "The Mission" that various TV networks are currently reviewing with a view to purchase and broadcast.

The Mission focuses on 5 socially crippled and wonderfully inept agents who work for Mi8, a covert government agency. Mi8 s brief is to, seek out aggressive alien & paranormal incursions into the UK and eliminate them.

For more information and a preview video see www.perfect-day-productions.co.uk

Notes: Project currently on the shelf

The Flat (BBC3)

Written by Dean Wilkinson (Ant and Dec Unzipped, No Sweat, Stupid), is a sitcom about a pair of housemates, starring Tom Price (Swinging) and Rufus Hound (Top of the Pops, The World Music Awards). The directors were Paul McKie and David Sant and the producers Gil Isles and Michelle Lanaway.

Non-transmittable pilot, no news on whether series commissioned.

Seven Second Delay (ITV1 Pilot)

A Granada comedy being piloted by ITV1. Stars Chris Langham as a radio talkshow host, while Sally Phillips co-stars as his neighbour, a barrister who is in the throes of a divorce. Will also feature Cavan Clerkin, Stewart Wright, Ben Crompton and Katie Lyons. "Seven Second Delay is about that window of opportunity which allows us pause to think clearly, weigh up the pros and cons - and then make the wrong decision," says Langham.

Almost certainly cancelled due to the jail time served by Chris Langham.

The Cue Club

A sitcom by new writer Charles Stenner which has been taken up by Norwich-based TV company Eastern Video. The programme will be about a pub - the main character Cliff's business falls apart after his wife dies of cancer and it charts how his friends and die-hard regulars get him out of trouble.

No network position yet.

Up Close and Personal (ITV2 Pilot)

A 2007 TalkbackThames filmed sitcom pilot for ITV2. Up Close and Personal is a comedy set in the offices of a celebrity gossip magazine. The pilot stars Raquel Cassidy (Lead Balloon), is written by Andy Rattenbury (Teachers) and directed by David Schneider (The Day Today).

According to rumours this project has been cancelled and will not proceed further.