Gervais is the jewel in BBC2 schedule

BBC2 has unveiled its spring schedules – with comedy given top billing.

The most keenly-anticipated show is Extras, Ricky Gervais’s follow-up to The Office.

Now being filmed in London, the show, features cameos from the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet, Ben Stiller, Ross Kemp, Vinnie Jones and Les Dennis. Here is the first production shot from the set:

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Ricky plays Andy Millman who, having given up his day job to be an actor, finds he just can't land the big parts. Stephen Merchant, who co-wrote the show, plays Andy's agent.

Elsewhere in the line-up, Catherine Tate, a favourite of critics and awards judges, returns for a second series of her character sketch show.

And Joanna Lumley stars opposite Denis Lawson in a new sitcom, Sensitive Skin, about an affluent couple living in metropolitan London.

Former comedy producer turned author Danny Wallace also has a new TV project, after setting up a cult ‘collective’ in which he persuaded thousands of people to join him in  random acts of kindness.

In the new show, How To Start Your Own Country, he tries to set up his own nation.

BBC Two controller Roly Keating said the season would bring "great new comedy from some of Britain's best comic talent."

Published: 16 Mar 2005