BBC seeks big-screen comedies

The BBC is making a concerted effort to make blockbuster comedy movies.

The corporation’s TV comedy department and BBC Films are to work together to develop ideas, and develop stars who could make the transition to movies.

Such a move would also help the corporation hang onto its key talent, by offering them films as well as small-screen work.

Comedy movies are currently enjoying a revival in Hollywood because of their relatively low production costs, and potentially lucrative returns.

The BBC’s head of comedy talent, Kenton Allen, who produced this year's Oscar-winning short film Six Shooter in his spare time, will lead the development initiative.

He said he was interested in mainstream hits, not  ‘worthy or obscure’ films, adding that he wanted to discover "the British Steve Carell’, star and co-writer of The 40 Year Old Virgin.

Allen told MediaGuardian:  ‘It is a long-term commitment. If the talent we work with think that they have a feature idea to explore with us then we will work with them.

‘Comedy films are inherently successful in the box office but the problem has been that there has not been enough comedy expertise at the development stage.

‘There is a gap in development between feature film producers and the stuff written for television. Too often comedy films are developed by people with an expertise in narrative film not comedy and we want to remedy that.’

Head of BBC Films David Thompson added: ‘Comedy is very much a target area for us at the moment, with several interesting projects in development, and the recent successful releases of Debbie Isitt's Confetti [pictured] and Michael Winterbottom's A Cock And Bull Story.’

Published: 5 Jul 2006