Peep Show creators write student comedy

Jack Whitehall is to star in Channel 4’s new student sitcom Fresh Meat.

The series, set in a shared house in Manchester, has been created by Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain.

The ensemble cast also includes comedians Joe Thomas, from the Inbetweeners, and Greg McHugh, from Gary: Tank Commander alongside Lead Balloon’s Tony Gardner, Kimberley Nixon, who appeared in Cranford, Zawe Ashton from the St Trinian's remake and Charlotte Ritchie, who was in BBC sitcom Life Of Riley, and is part of classical girl group All Angels.

Comic Tom Basden also has a role in the series, which is being co-written by a team that includes Armstrong’s Thick Of It co-scribe Tony Roche, and made by Peep Show’s producers Objective.

Whitehall, who plays 'a public school boy with good teeth and an inflated sense of entitlement'. is no stranger to Manchester student life, having studied History of Art at university there – although he did not graduate. He has pulled out of the Kilkenny Cat Laughs comedy festival next weekend to begin work on the eight 45 minute episodes.

Channel 4 drama head Camilla Campbell has described Fresh Meat as ‘like Skins two years on, or This Life with more jokes’.

She added: 'Sam and Jesse are bringing their customary incisive comedy to the drama output, and the result is a hilarious and painfully truthful series about being a student.'

It is understood the production will take some cues from American sitcoms, with more than one read-through for each script and the writers workshopping ideas with actors.

Filming has just begun, with the show set to air late this year.

- by Jay Richardson

Published: 28 May 2011