MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has unveilled the full launch of its comedy website bbc.co.uk/comedy, featuring new elements, offering users a more immersive experience.
Comedy fans can now navigate BBC comedy past, present and future. There are classic archive moments aggregated into collections, exclusive material from the likes of The Thick Of It and Outnumbered and bespoke web-only comedies from some of the hottest new talent online.
Following its beta launch in May 2009, the site has become a playground for the next generation of comedy stars as well as enabling well-known comedy greats to experiment with new ideas.
The library now features over 600 clips that have amassed 2.5 million views on bbc.co.uk, with as many again being watched on YouTube.
The broadcaster adds that bbc.co.uk/comedy is the place to discover rising stars such as Jason Lewis, Idiot Of Ants, Harry Partridge and Mr Khan, played by Adil Ray – one of the stars of Bellamy‘s People.
To mark the full rollout of the site, comedy fans will also be treated to sketches from comedy talent including Those Mitchell And Webb Animations, a collaboration between the team behind the sketch show and some new online animators.
James Corden, Jaime Winstone, Robert Llewellyn and Ewen Macintosh star in BeastHunters – a fantasy horror series that follows a team of amateur de-beasters on their hunt to find creatures released from a mysterious medieval bestiary – The Whisperine, created by newcomers Jamie Lennox and Louis Waymouth.
There will be a series of short films by Lenny Henry, titled Conversations With My Wife. Lenny plays a stay-at-home dad Skyping with his executive wife who is jetting off around the world.
In a bid to further utilise the online trend of sharing content, bbc.co.uk/comedy will be introducing Playlists, which will allow established comedy talent to recommend their favourite BBC comedy moments of all time as well as discover up-and-coming comedy. Kick-starting this will be Stephen Merchant and Johnny Vegas.
BBC Comedy Commissioning controller Cheryl Taylor says, "The BBC Comedy website represents an extraordinarily diverse array of classic and cutting-edge humour and I would urge all comedy fans to check it out.
"Any platform which showcases both established and up-and-coming comedians in such innovative and accessible ways is hugely valuable to the genre and offers up brilliant development opportunities to both on and off screen talent."
BBC Multiplatform commissioning executive Martin Trickey says, "The site brings together the best of the BBC from past, present and future. People will be able to find classic moments from comedy greats alongside the freshest new talent from around the UK."
bbc.co.uk/comedy, aims to be the first port of call for comedy lovers, enabling them to catch up on the latest comedies from across the BBC via BBC iPlayer, discover spin-off content via the Red Button and YouTube, join in discussions and keep up to date with the latest news via the blog and Twitter.
