More Fist Of Fun on DVD after Series 1 turns a profit

The second series of Stewart Lee and Richard Herring’s Fist Of Fun is to be released on DVD – after the first turned a profit.

The move means the comedians’ gamble to spend £45,000on buying the rights from the BBC and produce the discs has paid off in under five months.

The corporation had long refused to release the cult comedy show on disc, believing there was not a big enough market.

And when the series was released by Cardiff-based independent DVD label Go Faster Stripe on last November, Herring said: ‘We have had to do the DVD ourselves – at some expense – as the BBC don't think it was worth it. Let's prove them wrong.’

The first series was sold for a hefty £25 – but included a wealth of extra material for Lee and Herring obsessives, including all the footage shot in the studio.

Chris Evans from the label told Chortle: ‘Series 1 has gone very well, all things considered. It's made its money back, and a little bit more on top, so everyone is happy.’

‘So we are preparing series 2. It's going to be another four-disc set, and this time we have the studio tapes for every episode.

‘We've also got scripts, a copy of the Lee and Herring website from 1996, and some of the rough versions of the pages from their cash-in book.

‘There's more on the way from a few Lee and Herring hoarders. One of whom is in Lee and Herring.’

Evans said highlights among the new batch of previously unseen material would include the fairytale Goldilocks And The Three Men, originally deleted from series; the original ending to episode 1 ‘which makes the episode make sense’; a bit of fake studio audience participation featuring Graham Linehan; and banter between takes – including Lee and Herring arguing with an unseen producer about what swear words they can use.

The disc should come out in November. If sales continue to hold up, it could lead to a release of the duo’s TV follow-up This Morning With Richard Not Judy, too.

Published: 22 Mar 2012