Six episodes greenlit

Channel 4 has commissioned a full series of David Mitchell and Robert Webb’s new comedy, Back.

The sitcom, which was created by Peep Show's co-writer Simon Blackwell, has been picked up for a six-part series following a successful non-broadcast pilot shot in April.

It revolves around Stephen (Mitchell), who achieves a long-held ambition when he inherits a pub from his father, but is quickly overshadowed by his charismatic foster brother Andrew, played by Webb, who turns up out of the blue at the funeral.

Everyone loves Andrew, except Stephen, who 'thinks he’s a glib, dangerous sociopath who’s about to steal his family, his business and his life'.

The pilot – pictured above – also starred Julia Deakin, probably best known as Spaced’s Marsha, as Stephen’s mother Ellen; Louise Brealey, Sherlock’s Molly Hooper, as sister Cass; and The Thick Of It’s Olivia Poulet.

However Channel 4 said they could not confirm whether any of the cast would be returning, beyond Mitchell and Webb.

Phil Clarke, the broadcaster’s head of comedy, previously said: ‘To have Mitchell and Webb and Simon Blackwell working together is a very exciting prospect. It’s a unique configuration of some seriously big comedy minds.

‘Simon has written a very funny and clever script with a strong emotional heart that takes Robert Webb and David Mitchell in a new and genuinely intriguing direction.’

Speaking last year to promote the final series of Peep Show, Mitchell and Webb described Back as being set ‘in a very different world to Peep Show’ and ‘very much more middle-aged.’

Mitchell praised Blackwell’s writing as ‘deep, dark, warm and funny – like a hot tub brimming with laughing gravy’.

Blackwell, who wrote four episodes of Peep Show, has also won two Emmys for his work on Veep, on which he was also an executive producer. He said: 'I always jump at the chance of writing for Robert and David. They are brilliant comic actors — funny and real. I can’t wait for us to start making this.'

Back is being made by Rev producers Big Talk. Chief executive Kenton Allen said: 'Simon, David and Robert are the Holy Trinity of British comedy and it’s a rare privilege to be working with such exceptional comic minds.'

Published: 15 Nov 2016