Hour-long documentary commissioned

ITV has ordered an hour-long documentary about black comedians past and present.

Black Comedy Legends will mix archive footage and star interviews, and cover the UK’s first breakout black comic, Yorkshireman Charlie Williams (pictured), to today’s rising stars, such as Michaela Coel. 

To air during this year’s Black History Month in July it will also cover and genre-defining shows from Desmonds to The Real McCoy.  

The commission follows the news that Channel 4 has commissioned Mo Gilligan to present a documentary about Britain’s current black comedy circuit. And last year Lenny Henry  fronted a Gold series called Race Through Comedy about how various communities had been represented on screen in the past. 

ITV says of its forthcoming show: ‘This celebration of pioneering stars will draw our focus from their work to the present day to offer an insight into the legacy of decades of comedy talent that has touched the new generation of black comedians who are now shaping the future. 

Made by: Big Deal Films
Series Produced by: Marina Warsama
Executive producers are Dhanny Joshi, Thomas Stogdon and Maxine Watson
Commissioned for ITV by: Satmohan Panesar, Factual Commissioning Editor

Published: 27 Aug 2020