First silent comedy series in 20 years

Shooting has begun on Pompidou, a new prime-time visual comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas.

Six half-hour episodes will air early 2015, with Lucas in the the titular role of an elderly oddball aristocrat who has fallen on hard times and now lives in a clapped-out old caravan, parked in front of his now crumbling estate.

Alex MacQueen, from The Thick Of It and Hunderby, plays Hove, Pompidou’s long-suffering butler, while there will also be cameo appearances from Bella Emberg, Roy Barraclough, Jane Asher and Tony Way from Game Of Thrones.

The series is the first new silent comedy series to be made in Britain for almost 20 years, since Mr Bean. , Although Baby Cow made a one-off show with Japanese duo Gamarjobat, called Ketch! And HIRO-PON Get It On, for BBC Three in 2009.

Each week Pompidou and Hove face a new challenge, from stealing back a priceless bowl they once owned, to extracting a live bird which has flown into Hove’s mouth and is nesting in his stomach.

Lucas said: 'This is the show I've always wanted to make, And I can't wait to start filming.'

BBC comedy controller Shane Allen added: 'Matt has worked incredibly hard on creating a unique comedy universe for Pompidou.

'Only someone of his immense talent and experience could achieve something that feels so modern and inventive which also has an underlying nod to past classic comedy masters like Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy. It’s rare to have a comedy the whole family can enjoy together.'

Lucas wrote the show with Julian Dutton, a former stand-up who wrote children's sitcom Scoop for CBBC and impressions show The Secret World, and Ashley Blaker, co-creator of the Matt Lucas Awards.

It will be directed by Lucas and Charlie Hanson, who has worked as a producer with a wealth of comedy stars, including Ricky Gervais, Harry Hill, Lee and Herring, Lee Mack and Alan Davies.

Allen commissioned Pompidou with Danny Cohen, former controller of BBC One, from Lucas's production company John Stanley production for BBC1. Executive producers are Chris Sussman for the BBC and Layla Smith for John Stanley Productions.

Published: 17 Jun 2014