BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie unveils 10 star-studded new and returning shows, championing affordable, distinctive, UK comedy

BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie today announced 10 new and returning shows at the BBC Comedy Festival, as he championed affordable, distinctive comedy from across the UK.

Speaking at the BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast, Jon Petrie and Eddie Doyle, Senior Head Content Commissioning BBC Northern Ireland, also announced over half a million pounds of additional, year-long funding for brand new comedy.

The money will be ringfenced exclusively for production spend on new comedy in Northern Ireland for 2025/2026. BBC Comedy and BBC Northern Ireland are committing to putting the commissioning spend towards the production of comedy-focused projects, demonstrating the BBC’s unwavering commitment to new comedy from across the UK.

Jon confirmed:

• Diane Morgan’s sitcom Ann Droid (w/t) about a social humanoid robot designed to keep elderly people company, exploring the hilarious intersection of technology and human connection
• Supernatural family sitcom The Reluctant Vampire starring BAFTA winner Lenny Rush
• Bill’s Included, which stars Rob Brydon as a middle-aged divorcee who staves off financial ruin by renting his spare rooms to students
• Small Prophets, created by BAFTA winner Mackenzie Crook, starring Pearce Quigley, BAFTA winner Sir Michael Palin and BAFTA winner Sophie Willan
• Stuffed, starring Guz Khan as an office worker who gets an unexpected Christmas bonus and takes his family to Lapland, only to find that he has to pay the money back.
• The return of Only Child, Funboys, The Young Offenders and The Golden Cobra
• Ahead of the festival, BBC Northern Ireland also announced Leonard and Hungry Paul, based on the award-winning, best-selling novel by Rónán Hession

Jon said: “The BBC continues to be the biggest single investor in original comedy content in the UK.  And for the second year running eight out of the top 10 scripted comedies were on the BBC. Created, written by and starring some of the UK's most brilliant homegrown talent, I’m really proud of the shows we have announced today and can’t wait for BBC viewers to see them.”

He added: “Great comedy always comes back to the fundamentals: brilliant characters, sharp jokes, a unique voice. Those are the elements that endure – not massive sets or casts of thousands.

“Our priority is to keep our shows affordable and distinctive, because comedy doesn't need explosions and continuous shots, it needs punchlines, authentic voices, and that gleeful point of view that no algorithm can touch.”

Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, said: “We’re known in Northern Ireland for our unique and sometimes dark sense of humour, so it’s fitting that Belfast is hosting the BBC Comedy Festival this year.

“We’ve been doing our part to develop local comedians and comedy writers on and off screen at BBC Northern Ireland over the last number of years, and it’s great that network BBC Comedy is recognising the talent that’s here. The additional year-long funding of more than half a million pounds shows real faith in Northern Ireland comedy talent and will provide a decent leg up to network commissioning for the comedy sector here, like Hot House has been to factual and the Green Lit project to scripted.

“And of course, it’s been exciting to announce the commissioning of Leonard & Hungry Paul and the return of Funboys which we can’t wait to bring to audiences.”

LH2