The Scotts, Group and the Daly Grind make up a trio of new comedies from BBC Scotland, showcasing new and established comic talent, working in partnership with Screen Scotland to develop and deliver new comedy for Scottish audiences.
Airing on BBC One Scotland in the new year, the three 30-minute comedies are uniquely different with all of them offering development opportunities for both writing and acting talent.
They have been made by The Comedy Unit, BBC Studios and Pirate Productions and commissioned by Gavin Smith Commissioning Executive Comedy, Drama and Entertainment for BBC Scotland who will also be the BBC executive producer.
In addition to these three new comedies, criminally funny and award-winning Scot Squad mockumentary comedy series will return for five new episodes in 2020.
Made by The Comedy Unit, Scot Squad shadows a fictional police force and stars Jack Docherty, Jordan Young, Sally Reid, Grado, Manjot Sumal, Darren Connell, Karen Barkte, Louise McCarthy, Julie Wilson Nimmo, Chris Forbes, James Allenby-Kirk and Ashley Smith.
Gavin Smith, BBC Scotland, says: “It’s exciting to be working with Screen Scotland and able to announce a new slate of comedies featuring a range of new and established talent in front and behind the camera.
“Family and relationships are at the heart of all three shows and each taps in to the stressful side of modern Scottish life in their own unique way. We hope audiences love the new comedy characters coming through on BBC Scotland.”
Mark Thomas, Screen Scotland says: “These three new broadcast comedies showcase the high quality creative comedy talent working in Scotland.
“This is just one of the ways Screen Scotland is working with BBC Scotland through our MOU partnership to strengthen the range of content being commissioned in Scotland and to increase representation and opportunities for Scottish talent.”
THE SCOTTS
Shadowing a typical Scottish family, this sitcom proves that if blood is thicker than water, no-one is thicker than the Scotts.
Showcasing the antics of the funniest fictional family in Scotland – and written and performed by Robert Florence and Iain Connell – the comedy revolves around siblings Henry (Connell) and Vincent (Florence) who have a love/hate relationship plus their wives Vonny (Shauna Macdonald) and Laura (Sharon Young) and their sister Colette (Louise McCarthy).
The Scotts mixes comic scenes with candid pieces-to-camera capturing the petty squabbles, hidden secrets, mini triumphs and major disasters of an everyday Scottish family.
The Scotts also stars Barbara Rafferty, Taylor Stewart, Amy Leith and Jamie MacDonald.
The Scotts is a Comedy Unit production.
GROUP
Everyone needs an audience. As a group of addicts comes together for a weekly session, there is warmth and solidarity, coffee and biscuits, tension and power games.
Group is written and created by the critically acclaimed Annie Griffin and Denise Mina.
Group stars Lois Chimimba, Bhav Joshi, Lucianne McEvoy, Grant O’Rourke, Sally Reid, Derek Riddell and Jonathan Watson.
Group is a Pirate Production.
DALY GRIND
Fresh and fast-paced family comedy, the Daly Grind, centres on devoted mother – and expert multi-tasker – Tracey Daly struggling with the chaos of her daily routine.
Set entirely in the Daly household, the comedy unfolds as Tracey wrangles with her three children – Katlyn, Liam and Lucy – alongside her husband Joe.
Starring Scarlett Mack, Jordan Young, Rachel Doherty, Cameron Wilke and Bea Tena-Hutchinson, Daly Grind was written and created by brothers, John and Dominic Reynolds.
Daly Grind is a BBC Studios production.