BBC announce 12 comedy pilots, including Tom Hardy-led animation

To be shown across BBC One, Two and Three

The BBC has announced 12 new comedy pilots, the highlight being an animated sitcom from Peaky Blinders’ Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley.

The series, Sticky, details a group of college kids who struggle after the Internet completely disappears and asking; can modern friendships survive without the Internet?

Starring alongside Hardy and Riley (who are married in real life), are comedians Javone Prince and Kayvan Novak, the latter best known for the series Fonejacker.

“Although based in reality, the freedom that animation brings allows Sticky to present an unlimited range of diverse characters and epic locations,” reads the BBC press release. “Be prepared for the weird to collide with the epic. Plus Putin and Trump make guest appearances.”

The show will air on BBC Three, the channel also ordering another five pilots, one of which comes from Novak; The Celebrity Voicemail Show, which imagines what it would be like to listen to the voicemails left on a celebrity’s answerphone

Another is Chinese Burn, which follows the adventures of three ‘normal’ Chinese girls as they negotiate the trials of modern life in the UK capital.

“From sex to relationships, failing careers to just about paying rent, getting drunk to getting in fights – they’re visitors from a scary superpower and they’re taking over London,” reads the release.

The fourth show, Hailmakers, tells “the story of two best mates trying to make a pound note in 2017,” says actor Akemnji Ndifornyen.

#HoodDocumentary co-creator Kayode Ewumi also has a series coming, Enterprice, following two young entrepreneurs in the early stages of rolling out their home delivery service, Speedi-Kazz.

The last BBC Three show is Wannabe, about a woman struggling as a middle-aged failing music manager who once had a hit in the 90s and is planning a comeback.

On BBC One comes Mister Winner, a sitcom starring Spencer Jones as Leslie Winner, a “well-meaning man prone to accidents”. There’s also Tim Vine Travels Through Time, the actor and presenter travelling through time using a Grandfather clock, the show described as “Doctor Who with puns.”

Rounding off the channel’s line-up is the Rob Beckett starring Static, in which the lead character, also named Rob, moves back home with his parents

BBC Two also has three comedies commissioned; Famalam, featuring extraterrestrial short skits; The Other One, about two sisters both called Catherine Walcott who don’t know about each other until their father dies; and The Pact, about two adults who made a pact 20 years ago that, if they’re not married by 35, they would both get married.

Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, at the BBC, said: “No broadcaster in the world is more committed to British comedy than the BBC with this extensive breadth of new shows to offer to audiences and amazing opportunities and initiatives for budding writers and performers.”

“In these twelve shows there is such a breadth of tone and ideas, I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve got on offer.” Scheduling for the shows will be confirmed over the coming months.