just did a bit of research.... Apparantly it was produced by Big Bear Films..... So I've just sent them an email inquiring as to exactly where they got it from.
Will give them a few days to respond and see what they say 
Big Top Page 3
Uh oh!
Really? Wouldn't be the first time I've heard of such a thing happening, if you're being serious. We've quite a bit of information about the programme here: https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/big_top/
Quote: Jeff Powell @ November 28 2009, 4:42 PM GMTI've just sent them an email inquiring as to exactly where they got it from.
thanks, yeah I came across that link as well.
Obvioulsy it would've changed quite a bit as the writer commissioned for the series would have his own take on it...but the fact remains that it is still way too similar.
- Name of the show (same)
- Concept of a travelling circus, that is struggling financially (same)
- Dysfunctional performers (same)
- There is a Rival circus (same)
Just read a quote from the website about how Daniel came up with the idea...
Daniel explains how he came to write Big Top: "A couple of years ago I went to a circus near Macclesfield, the first one I'd been to since I was a kid. The girl running the ticket office was about nine years old, and the man on the hotdog stand was in the ring a few minutes later, juggling deckchairs with his feet. I realised there was a very small team of people doing absolutely everything: performing the show, selling the programmes and afterwards packing up the tent to move to the next site.
"At the same time I was talking to Big Bear Films about sitcom ideas, and we all really wanted to do a big ensemble show. Big Bear's Head of Development, Suzi McIntosh, started talking about her friend Linnet, who is an acrobat. So we thought: let's come up with some circus characters."
.......hmmm...... purely coincidental?
'Big Top' should be quite good, especially with Hi-De-Hi's Ruth Madoc in it.
Quote: Jeff Powell @ November 28 2009, 5:58 PM GMTthanks, yeah I came across that link as well.
Obvioulsy it would've changed quite a bit as the writer commissioned for the series would have his own take on it...but the fact remains that it is still way too similar.
- Name of the show (same)
- Concept of a travelling circus, that is struggling financially (same)
- Dysfunctional performers (same)
- There is a Rival circus (same)Just read a quote from the website about how Daniel came up with the idea...
Daniel explains how he came to write Big Top: "A couple of years ago I went to a circus near Macclesfield, the first one I'd been to since I was a kid. The girl running the ticket office was about nine years old, and the man on the hotdog stand was in the ring a few minutes later, juggling deckchairs with his feet. I realised there was a very small team of people doing absolutely everything: performing the show, selling the programmes and afterwards packing up the tent to move to the next site.
"At the same time I was talking to Big Bear Films about sitcom ideas, and we all really wanted to do a big ensemble show. Big Bear's Head of Development, Suzi McIntosh, started talking about her friend Linnet, who is an acrobat. So we thought: let's come up with some circus characters."
.......hmmm...... purely coincidental?
Why not post, or PM someone, some more detailed info about your show, then we can see on Wednesday how close it actually matches? You'll have your idea down and pre-dated then.
I must admit I was going to post it on here, until my girlfriend reminded me that I should probably seek legal advice before I go and do anything silly.
Will be happy to keep anyone interested up-to-date with whatever happens though.
Well if it's your own work, you can post what you want without breaking any copyright. And having it logged down here before the broadcast will give a lot more credibility to an argument than if you only post details afterwards. 
Quote: Aaron @ November 28 2009, 10:13 PM GMTWell if it's your own work, you can post what you want without breaking any copyright. And having it logged down here before the broadcast will give a lot more credibility to an argument than if you only post details afterwards.
Exactly. This could be the nearest thing we've ever had to a "scoop" around here...
I like the sound of these potentially (and allegedly) shady, underhand dealings in sitcom land.
Aaron and zooo could become the Woodward & Bernstein of the comedy world. "Follow the - derisory writer's amount of - money".
I appreciate what you're saying, but it wouldn't really change much.....filming is done and dusted....Preview audiences have already seen it.... So me posting it on here wouldn't make much difference.
I've already spoken to a few colleagues who I used to work with at Celador, and they're happy to vouch for me, and verify that the Big Top pilot was read way, way before the series was penned.
Besides, I'm certainly not claiming that they've used my script..... I've read an online overview of episode one, and there's apparantly a piece about health and safety trying to close the circus down....My pilot was about the circus trying to drum up some interest by sending out the performers into the town centre to hand out leaflets, and the ring-master going on a radio show.....so it's different..... as I'm sure all 6 episodes will be.... but that doesn't mean it's not originally my idea.
I know that I came up with the idea first, and so do my former colleagues at Celador.
Anyhow, I'll just wait and see what Big Bear films come back to me with.
This got a lukewarmish review on Front Row, in which they said the second episode was much better than the clunky opener. And on Simon Mayo all the TV reviewers liked it, although Ruth Madoc was in the studio with them.
I'd bet every last penny I have it's pure coincidence. In fact I bet if you were able to check you'd find there had been umpteen circus sitcoms proposed over the last few years. My guess is that most of them went straight to bin because no-one likes clowns or circuses very much and therefore sympathy for the characters would be thin on the ground.
Big Top is a fairly obvious title and the overall premise is bog standard sitcom fare i.e. A struggling business + bunch of misfits + dastardly rival = Snore.
And let's not forget it could be a case of memes.
Quote: YesNo @ December 2 2009, 11:32 AM GMTI'd bet every last penny I have it's pure coincidence. In fact I bet if you were able to check you'd find there had been umpteen circus sitcoms proposed over the last few years. My guess is that most of them went straight to bin because no-one likes clowns or circuses very much and therefore sympathy for the characters would be thin on the ground.
Big Top is a fairly obvious title and the overall premise is bog standard sitcom fare i.e. A struggling business + bunch of misfits + dastardly rival = Snore.
I disagree that no-one likes clowns or circuses! I personally love them!
And you say it's "standard sitcom fare".....
so does that mean if I had my own production company and decided to produce a sitcom about...I dunno....lets say....an office.... where the manager is a bit of an idiot (lets face it, everyone has worked for one!) but actually happens to be quite a sweet guy deep down...and seeing as it's based in an office, lets just call it something obvious like....I dunno..."The Office"?
..... do you think Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant would be cool with that?
And before any smart-arse says, "no they wouldn't care, as it would never compete with the original"....that's rubbish and you know it. They would have their top lawyers on the case within minutes!
And for thos who'll say "No one would commission it as it's already been done".....that's obviously missing the point!
They sold the rights to "The Office" to the US. If anyone else had then pitched "The Office" to the US, they'd be sued within an inch of their lives!
Anyhoot, it doesn't matter what people say....until I get a solicitor/lawyer with a far more in-depth knowledge of IP and copyright legalities involved, there's no point in speculating one way or another.
NEWSFLASH: Tony Warren has read this thread and is now suing 'Eastenders' !