...and BBC Two orders first transgender sitcom

PhoneShop star Javone Prince has landed his own BBC Two sketch series.

The four half-hour shows promises a look ‘at all facets of contemporary multicultural Britain’ and will be shot in front of a studio audience. As well as comedy it will also features sketches and guests.

The commission of The Javone Prince Show follows the success of a non-broadcast pilot made in March this year. It will be first show from the new independent producers Lovely Electricity, set up by Phoneshop producer Phil Bowker with former Avalon producer Lee Tucker, which will be working with the BBC’s in-house comedy department.

Meanwhile BBC Two has also ordered its first transgender sitcom, Boy Meets Girl, following a screening of the pilot at the BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase in March.

Created by Elliott Kerrigan and written by Elliott Kerrigan and Simon Carlyle, it will be set and filmed in and around Manchester.

The script was discovered through the Trans Comedy Award - a BBC talent search which offered comedy writers up to £5,000 for the best script that promoted a positive portrayal of transgender characters.

The six-part comedy is about a loser called Leo who strikes up a relationship with a ‘surprising and beguiling’ older woman called Judy. It is being made by Tiger Aspect for BBC Two.

Executive producer Sophie Clarke-Jervoise said: 'We’re very excited to be making Boy Meets Girl for BBC Two. It’s always great to work with brand new writers and Elliott has a delightfully quirky comedy voice which manages to combine big laugh-out-loud moments, with warmth and truthfulness.'

It has also been announced that Backchat – the talk show hosted by Jack Whitehall with his father Michael – is moving to BBC Two.

The announcements, ahead of the Edinburgh International Television Festival, follow similar news of new BBC Three comedies earlier today.

Published: 21 Aug 2014