Alongside Fry, French, Tate and Jinsy

Sky 1 has announced a new batch of comedy shows, featuring Stephen Fry, Dawn French, Catherine Tate and Gavin And Stacey’s Ruth Jones.

The main new commission is a ten-part comedy-drama co-written by Jones, called Stella.

She also takes the lead role as a 40-something mother in the show, which promises ‘an authentic slice of the working-class Welsh valleys’.

The hour-long episodes will be filmed early next year for broadcast in 2012.

Meanwhile, Dawn French, Catherine Tate, Victoria Wood, Kathy Burke and Stephen Fry will appear in a series of comic shorts called Little Cracker, each of which will dramatise a humorous tale from the star's past.

The surreal comedy This Is Jinsy has also been picked up by Sky following a pilot on BBC Three in March. The show was created by newcomers Chris Bran and Justin Chubb, is about the bizarre residents of a fictional totalitarian island.

Eight half-hour episodes will air next summer.

The new shows mark Sky 1’s first push into homegrown comedy in more than a decade. It previously tried to establish itself as a home for comedy at the turn of the century by commissioning shows from Al Murray, Harry Enfield and David Baddiel, but never stuck with the genre.

Last year, Sky poached BBC commissioning chief Lucy Lumsden to be its first head of comedy to re-establish its reputation.

She said: ‘It's been an exciting time and I'm delighted that we've been able to attract a wealth of comedy talent.

‘Sky’s investment in original comedy is testament to our long term commitment in original, scripted programming. We’re providing a home for on and off-screen talent to flex their creative muscle; somewhere for their work to be nurtured."

Stuart Murphy, Sky 1’s director of programmes added: ‘Lucy has made sure that customers benefit from her considerable experience, brilliant contacts and revolting sense of humour. This is just the start of Sky homes getting more comedy in addition to the brilliant Modern Family and The Simpsons.’

Published: 29 Jul 2010