Duo launch Funny Or Die UK

David Walliams and Matt Lucas have launched a comedy website, showcasing their own work as well as producing sketches for other comedians.

The duo have become partners in the British version of Funny Or Die, the popular US site set up by Will Ferrell, which launches today.

They will provide exclusive sketches every month, including preview clips of Little Britain USA – and say they could revive their old series, Rock Profiles, for the web.

‘We jumped at the chance to be partners in the British version,’ Lucas told Chortle.

‘We’re going to use Funny Or Die to experiment. Plus we’re going to put up Little Britain USA clips not seen anywhere else, as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Making some new Rock Profiles, with a new batch of pop stars, might also be something we do.’

He added: ‘The US site has been a great place for comedians to test out new stuff and more importantly it's worked well as a platform for discovering new talent. That's what we're hoping to achieve over here.’

Funny or Die say Lucas and Walliams will oversee a new content team, based in London, although James Serafinowicz – who co-wrote his brother Peter’s BBC Two sketch show will be running the office day-to-day.

The company has a deal with Hat Trick Productions – which makes the likes of Have I Got News For You and Father Ted – to produce all the content for the UK site. Funny or Die will be commissioning its own content, as well as inviting user-generated content.

The US site, which reported nine million unique viewers last mnth, was founded last year by Ferrell, Adam McKay and writer/producer Chris Henchy. Judd Apatow is also a partner.

Dick Glover, president and chief executive of Funny or Die added: ‘We are delighted to have Matt and David on board for the UK launch.

‘ Funny or Die is all about democratising comedy, the community decides what is and isn’t funny, not a TV commissioner in an ivory tower and that is what makes the site unique.

‘We see Funny or Die as an incubation area for established and emerging comedy talent reaching core comedy fans and gaining direct feedback from viewers.’

Click here for a full interview with Matt Lucas.

Published: 23 Sep 2008