...including airline-based animation

A new animated comedy being developed for the Dave digital channel has been sold to the US before it has even been made.

The broadcaster has signed a deal with Wife Swap producers RDF to develop three new scripts, with an eye to broadcasting them late next year.

One of them is the animated show Sky Jockeys, about a team of airline employees, created by former Kumars At Number 42 writers Richard Pinto and Anil Gupta, who was also executive producer of the BBC version of The Office.

But although the show is still a work in progress, RDF has sold a ‘script commitment’ to Fox, which broadcasts such animated hits as The Simpsons in the States.

Dave has decided to commission more original content following the success of the Red Dwarf: Back to Earth revival earlier this year.

UK TV director of entertainment Christian Drobynk said: ‘Original scripted comedy resonates with the Dave audience and we believe that a slick animation series with the channel's witty banter at its core, will enable us to capitalise on the momentum we've garnered with Red Dwarf and continue to extend Dave's appeal.’

No details of the other two projects being developed were revealed, other than that they are half-hour scripted comedies.

Published: 25 Sep 2009