Starstuck will also air on HBO Max in the US

The BBC has officially confirmed the new sitcom from Rose Matafeo, as first revealed by Chortle back in March.

In Starstruck, the  2018 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner plays a millennial in London – also called Rose – juggling two dead-end jobs and navigating the awkward morning-after when she discovers the complications of accidentally sleeping with a movie star.

Six episodes have been ordered for BBC Three and the forthcoming US streaming service HBO Max.

Matafeo said: ’The BBC have been so supportive of this project from the get-go and to be able to get this show in front of American audiences at the same time via HBO Max is truly exciting.

‘I’m thrilled we get to make it, otherwise it would’ve technically just been a creepy fan fiction script that I submitted to the national broadcaster. The team we’ve brought together for this series are absolute dreamboats and I’m super excited to be working with them.’

Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, described Matafeo not as a comedian but as an 'original, culture-forward creator'.

She said: ‘The minute we were introduced to Rose and Starstruck, we knew we had something special. She is exactly the type of original, culture-forward creator we are excited to be working with at HBO Max and we are looking forward to a long partnership.’

And BBC comedy chief Shane Allen added: ‘Very rarely does a comedy talent land as fully formed and instantly magnetic as Rose.

‘Her assertive millennial female voice is the perfect fit for BBC Three given the strong track record we have in launching sitcoms that speak to a younger audience. Prepare to be utterly enchanted by her winning blend of whip smart writing and the rich character world she has created.’

Starstruck is directed by Karen Maine, whose , who wrote the 2014 abortion comedy film Obvious Child starring comedian Jenny Slate as a pregnant stand-up, and whose autobiographical film Yes, God, Yes, about a Catholic girl discovering masturbation was widely acclaimed after premieringearlier this year.

Matafeo  recently filmed her first starring role in a film, Baby Done, in her native New Zealand. In it, she plays a pregnant tree surgeon trying to achieve a list of dreams before she becomes a mother.

She is also developing a BBC Three sketch show, Party Time, with Lolly Adefope and Emma Sidi.

The Kiwi comic starred in the Australian commuter sitcom Squinters last year, with Tim Minchin, Sam Simmons and Steen Raskopoulos and has appeared in W1A and BBC Three’s series of sex comedy shorts, Climaxed.

Further cast and broadcast details for Starstruck are yet to be revealed.

Produced by: Avalon Television
Commissioned by: Shane Allen, Controller Comedy Commissioning at the BBC and Fiona Campbell, Controller of BBC Three
Commissioning editor for the BBC: Gregor Sharp
Executive producers: Rose Matafeo, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner and Rob Aslett.

Published: 12 Aug 2019