It's BBC Three's new comedy roster

Their settings don't immediately appear to be a bundle of laughs… but comedies based in a women’s prison, a bomb disposal unit and a teenage cancer ward are all coming to BBC Three.

Pulling’s Sharon Horgan has joined forces with stand-up Holly Walsh to create the prison comedy Life Story. As well as co-writing the series, Horgan plays Helen Stephens, who is falsely accused of murdering her boss, and held in Broadmarsh Prison.

Other characters in the comedy – sure to be compared to Porridge – include Helen’s fiancé Justin, who could provide an alibi but prefers her being in prison because he just can't face dumping her; her younger sister Laura who has moved into her flat; Henry, the ‘weirdo from work’ who visits her weekly; and her incompetant ‘injury at work’ lawyer Tony.

Shooting is expected to begin in the autumn and the show will air in early 2012.

Horgan said: 'Horgan says: 'Holly and I are very excited to get started on the show which we would describe as Prison Break meets Glee. Neither of which shows we have seen.'

BBC Three controller Zai Bennett today also announced his channel is to air a sitcom starring Lord Of The Rings actor Elijah Wood.

He plays a young loner who forms a friendship with his neighbour’s dog, Wilfred. Everyone else sees him as just another pet, but Ryan sees him as a rude Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit.

It is the American remake of an Australian show created by Jason Gann, who will again be playing the title character, Wilfred. The live-action series has been adapted by David Zuckerman producer of Family Guy and American Dad!

Here is a clip from the original:

BBC Three also confirmed that White Van Man, the sitcom starring Will Mellor and written by comic Adrian Poynton, will be returning for another six-part series. Filming is due to start later this year.

Also announced today were two new comedy pilots.

Eggbox is a half-hour comedy-drama about life on a teenage cancer ward, co-written by Tom Bidwell, who himself survived cancer when he was 15. He also wrote the Oscar-nominated short film Wish 143, about a teenager with cancer who asks to lose his virginity before he dies. His co-writer Mark Catley has worked on Holby City, Casualty and EastEnders.

Finally IED – Army abbreviation for improvised explosive device – is a single-camera comedy about a bomb disposal unit.

It is written by James Cary and Richard Hurst who, between them, have co-written 12 episodes of Miranda.The executive producer is Stephen McCrum, producer of Mrs Brown's Boys.

The shows are the first new commissions to be announced by Zai Bennett since he landed the BBC Three job in December.

He said: ‘Making our audience laugh is one of our key aims at BBC Three. We have been the home of some of the most brilliant and innovative new comedy in recent times and we hope Life Stories with Sharon Horgan will add to that and that Will Mellor in White Van Man will go from strength to strength.’

Published: 26 May 2011