Featuring the likes of Jack Carroll, Joe Wilkinson, Katy Wix Colin Hoult, and Lauren Pattison

The BBC has announced 11 short comedy films will drop on iPlayer on Friday.

Among the slate is a sketch about two suicidal people on a train – directed by Ricky Gervais – and others featuring comics Jack Carroll, Joe Wilkinson, Colin Hoult and Lauren Pattison.

Kiri Pritchard-McLean also makes her directorial debut with a short featuring Katy Wix and written by the talent behind live acts Tarot and Goose.

The shows – which will also all air on BBC Three in the coming months –  were unveiled as the  BBC Comedy Festival gets under way in Cardiff.

Jon Petrie, the broadcaster’s director of comedy, said: ‘It’s been exciting to create a space for comedy creatives to flex their funny bones and we’re particularly proud to have given 11 new writers and six new directors their first BBC Comedy credit. We can’t wait to see them go out.’

The new releases are the product of a BBC Comedy Short Film strand created as a place for new and established talent ‘to develop and showcase exciting concepts that centre on originality and experimentation’.

The Corporation’s comedy department joined forces with teams in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to capture the best ideas from across the UK.

Here is a trailer and below are the full official descriptions of each film. 

A Better Place

After their father’s passing, an oddball trio inherit the failing family funeral business. Led by hapless son Archie, they devise a plan to save their funeral home from the clutches of rival businesswoman Eileen. 

A Better Place is created and written by Book of Jam – aka and Jacob Topen and Ibrahim Clayton – who say: ‘We’re delighted to bring Book of Jam's fly on the wall, deadpan style to the BBC Comedy Festival. If a comedy festival needs more of anything, it’s more plucky Dundonians, and stoney faced Brummies, in a film about a funeral home.’

The producer is Laura Ferguson and the executive producers are Jon Rolph and Matthew Cowan. A Better Place is a Production Attic production for BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Gavin Smith and Navi Lamba.

Birdsong

A short film by Uncle Shortbread about the dangers of sleep deprivation, the brutality of the music industry, and the power of Iggy Pop’s hip thrust. Starring Colin Hoult.

Uncle Shortbread (Arthur Studholme & Cosmo Wellings) say: ‘Making this short film with Hat Trick for the BBC has been an absolute dream come true. Not in the literal sense though, as sadly no one's eyeballs and teeth fell out during filming, and we never found ourselves standing naked on stage at our school talent show with our childhood sweetheart Cindy Business watching on and laughing. Hopefully next time.’

Birdsong is created, written & voiced by Uncle Shortbread. The director is Arthur Studholme, the producer is Nick Coupe and the executive producer is Jimmy Mulville. Birdsong is a Hat Trick production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Ben Caudell and Emma Barnard.

Calamity James

Calamity James is a slapstick comedy about a young man, James, who is cursed with ‘acute misfortune syndrome’. James tries to reconnect with his dad after being thrown out by his mum for setting fire to their house at a family barbeque. In this world, chronic bad luck exists and the unbelievable is the everyday. Starring Mark Bonnar and Dylan Blore.

Louis Paxton says: ‘Calamity James has been a wonderful opportunity for me. Together with some of Scotland’s best cast and crew, we’ve made an ambitious, heartfelt, and befittingly disastrous short film of which I am immensely proud.’

Calamity James is based on the Beano comic strip of the same name. Written and created by Louis Paxton. The producer is Laura Taylor. The executive producers are Mark Talbot and Charlie Coombes. Calamity James is a Emanata Studios production for BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Gavin Smith and Navi Lamba.

Funboys

Life is hard. So, Callum and Jordan, two emotionally-unassembled young lads from Northern Ireland, start the Funboys’ Fun Club: a playgroup for childish young men to engage in wholesome mucking about.

But when a juice party goes awry, Callum’s ultra-religious fiancée, Morgan kicks them out and the Funboys must search for a new HQ. When they come across Marty, a catatonically depressed 60-year-old, can they bring joy back to his life and prove that fun won't necessarily lead to an eternity spent in raging hellfire?

Funboys is written by and stars Rian Lennon and Ryan Early, aka Super Lemon. hey call it ‘a short film based on our own sad, sad lives’.

The producer is Simon Mayhew-Archer, the director is Rian Lennon. Funboys is produced by Camden Productions for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Seb Barwell and Navi Lamba.

Jobless

Jobless is a sitcom all about the Adenugas, a British Nigerian middle-class family in Milton Keynes, in particular 16-year-old twin brother and sister Kehinde (Kenny) and Taiwo (Tai). Tai and Kenny are desperate to make their mark on the world. That’s hard when you live at home with your parents, and even harder when you live in Milton Keynes…

Jobless is created and written by Thara Popoola, who says: ‘I'm so excited for the world to meet the Adenuga twins, Tai and Kenny, or as their mum likes to call them "jobless people"! We've had such a fun time making this, and I couldn't have asked for a better cast, who have brought these characters to life so brilliantly.’

Jobless is created and written by Thara Popoola, the producer is Zoë Waterman, the executive producer is Rachel Ablett and the director is Big Red Button. Jobless is a Zeppotron (a Banijay UK company) production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Ben Caudell and Navi Lamba.

Man Eater

Don’t be afraid to embrace the beast within you...even if that means wolfing down a load of pervy men.

Man Eater is written by Angela Nesi and Anna Brook-Mitchell, who say: ‘We are really excited to be a part of BBC Comedy Short Films. It was a brilliant opportunity for us to work with such a talented team led by John Pocock, a producer we’ve been hassling to work with us for ages! A huge thank you to everyone who worked on this film and to the BBC Comedy team for creating space and opportunity for female comedy writers"

The producer is John Pocock, it was line produced by Rachel Alabaster and the director is Rashida Seriki. Man Eater is a Dave production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Emma Lawson and Emma Barnard.

Mobility

Comedy starring stand-up Jack Carroll. First day of 6th Form and Mike, Sonny and Dan are heading in on the mobility bus. Will they make it to school without strangling each other?

Carroll says: ‘It’s been a lifelong ambition of mine to write and act in a BBC comedy and I couldn’t be prouder of getting to do that with a project as good as Mobility, we had such great fun making it and I think that really comes across. I can’t wait for viewers to join Mike and the Gang for a journey on the mobility bus on the May 26. Watch it and tell a friend, otherwise you’re probably ableist.’

Mobility is written by Jack Carroll and Tom Gregory, the director is Akaash Meeda, the executive producers are David Simpson and Sam Ward. Mobility is a Tiger Aspect (a Banijay UK company) & Testmouse co-production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Ben Caudell.

Pobl Bachyn

Pobl Bachyn is a new short comedy-horror film from Tarot about the triple threat of Welsh folklore, English tourists and (to a lesser degree) being hungover, all set on a farm on Ynys Môn.

Pobl Bachyn is written by the comedians behind the live acts Tarot and Goose –  Adam Drake, Ed Easton, Kath Hughes, Ben Rowse and Kiri Pritchard-McLean,  who also makes her directorial debut.

Pritchard-McLean says: ‘I'm so excited that the first project I've directed is full of comedy talent I admire like Katy Wix, Dean Fagan and Tarot - I've got to say them, really. 

‘I'm so happy we got to shoot it all in beautiful North Wales working with an abundance of Welsh talent. Pobl Bachyn will take you on a night out with friends and give you a messy end you'll be talking about for years."

The producers are Hal Branson and Alastair Hope-Morley, the executive producer is Henry Widdicombe. Pobl Bachyn is a Little Wander production for BBC iPlayer, BBC Wales and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Paul Forde and Navi Lamba.

This Is Gay

They’re called ‘gays’. But what are they? Who are they? And why? Part mockumentary, part sketch show, This Is Gay attempts to answer these important questions.

Your guide, a figure simply known as "Host", takes you on a strange adventure with many stop offs along the way, including Renaissance Italy, modern-day London, a charming Welsh parish, and a fridge.

This Is Gay is written and created by Kirk Flash who says: ‘I just want to shine a light on the bits of gay life your local supermarket’s Pride month advert won't touch".

Produced by Rupert Majendie, This Is Gay will be produced by BBC Studios’ production label Baby Cow for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Ben Caudell and Navi Lamba.

Where It Ends

Actor Jack – played by writer Jack Robertson – joins a panto tour of care homes, where he is confronted with the reality of where it ends. The comedy also stars Lauren Pattison, Charlie Hardwick & Dave Johns.

Roberston says: ‘Where it Ends is a personal story of something that actually happened to me and has stayed with me for years. So to be able to work with such fantastic people to bring the story to life, for screen, was amazing. But the best bit was the catering, the chips on set were perfectly seasoned."

Where It Ends is a Tiger Aspect (a Banijay UK company) production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. The director is Fergal Costello, and the executive producers are David Simpson and Sam Ward. Commissioned for the BBC by Emma Lawson and Navi Lamba.

7 Minutes

A desolate train track seems the perfect spot to end it all, until someone else turns up with the same idea. Awkward.

Starring Joe Wilkinson and Seroca Davis.

Harry Carlile and Jonathan Parramint, who wrote the script, say: ‘We are so proud and excited to see our film come to life. We’re so grateful to Ricky and the BBC for believing in us and this project and can’t wait for everyone to watch it. Please watch it."

The director is Ricky Gervais, the producer is Hussain Casey-Ahmed. 7 Minutes is a Derek production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Commissioned for the BBC by Emma Lawson and Emma Barnard.

Published: 24 May 2023