Following on from his popular Christmas offering: BBC One’s Peter Kay’s 20 Years of Funny, the popular comic is set to return with another look back at his career to date.
Titled: Peter Kay’s Comedy Shuffle this six part series will take a further look back at a hugely successful career that has so far spanned 20 years. BBC One controller, Charlotte Moore, said of the new series: ‘Peter Kay is a comic genius that brought such joy to BBC One viewers last year. I’m thrilled that he is bringing his new series to the channel.’ And Kay himself added: ‘I was completely overwhelmed by the response to 20 Years of Funny and I feel honoured that the BBC would like to take a further look back at my career so far. I’m also delighted to still be working after 20 years at a job I still love.’
Criticism is being levelled at broadcasters in general and the BBC in particular were criticised for looking backwards for its comedy programming.
An an article in The Guardian newspaper, cited ‘reheating series like Open All Hours or [ITV’s] Birds of a Feather’, comedy producer Charlie Hanson said: ‘I think the BBC is doing less new sitcoms than they used to be. I keep reading about revivals. They are going backwards because they are playing safe.’
Sorry but there have been some classic comedies over the years that still prove popular with viewers, just look at GOLD. If anything we don’t spread our net wide enough accross TV network’s past comedy output. Just look in our archives there are so many good sitcoms that don’t get an airing, particuarly since the demise of digital channel Granada Plus, although I have been enjoying the re-runs of Doctor At Large.
Whlst on the subject of classic sitcoms Carla Lane’s Bread is 30 years old this year, this was huge in it’s day and should get a mention in the BBC celebrations of it’s past output.