Inbetweeners duo write a comedy about Premiership footballers
...to be produced by the chairman of Liverpool FC
The creators of the Inbetweeners are to make a new BBC Two comedy based around Premier League footballers – and produced by the chairman of Liverpool FC.
With the working title Afternoons, the six half-hour episodes from Iain Morris and Damon Beesley follow the mostly off-the-pitch misadventures of three young players at a fictional club.
The BBC says: ‘These boys from around the world are far less proficient with women, money and social media than they are at scoring goals.
One of the executive producers is Tom Werner, whose Carsey-Warner Company has made the likes of The Cosby Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Cybill and Roseanne in the US. He is also a founder of the Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox baseball team.
Werner said: ‘I have been friendly with Iain and Damon for quite a while, and I have longed to work with the two of them as they are such brilliant comedy writers. I hope my experience with Liverpool can provide some authenticity and humour to what is a very exciting format.’
This is the first time Morris and Beesley have written together for the first time since The Inbetweeners movies, although the latter created White Gold for BBC Two. Afternoons will be made by their production company, Fudge Park.
Shane Allen, the controller of BBC comedy, said: ‘Having Iain and Damon back together on a new scripted piece is about as good as it gets in comedy. Their take on what happens off the pitch brims with their skill at creating a gang of instantly recognisable characters, memorable dialogue, deftly tuned plots and excruciating humiliation is never far away.’
And in a statement, the pair wrote: ‘We're hoping to show viewers the hilarious inner lives of three young men who just happen to have a very stressful job in the public eye.’
Casting will be announced later.
Produced by: Fudge Park
Showrunners: Iain Morris and Damon Beesley
Executive producers: Tom Werner and Caroline Leddy
Commissioned by: Shane Allen, Controller of BBC Comedy, and Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two.
BBC Commissioning Editor: Gregor Sharp
Published: 21 Feb 2019
