It seems that the BBC is making cutbacks in the comedy department. I'm not sure which mind partly due to the fact that this story is from Broadcast, a paysite. Can anyone else access it?
UPDATE: https://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/00000449/bbc_to_axe_some_hit_shows/
Sad news, but there is a hell of a lot of dross on. I used to watch every new comedy show on principle but so much of it is appalling I hardly bother now.
Any one for half a pint and a shared packet of crisps?
or Only Fools we can't afford horses.
Quote: sootyj @ January 27 2011, 11:14 AM GMTAny one for half a pint and a shared packet of crisps?
Kalookalay my first smiley from The Bussell in yonks!
Quote: sootyj @ January 27 2011, 11:14 AM GMTAny one for half a pint and a shared packet of crisps?
or Only Fools we can't afford horses.
Perhaps Episodes will become Unbroadcast Pilot.
Quote: Ian Wolf @ January 27 2011, 10:20 AM GMTIt seems that the BBC is making cutbacks in the comedy department. I'm not sure which
The story says that no decisions have been made; it merely quotes Cheryl Taylor saying that they face "tough decisions" and have to "turn down great scripts and performers" every day.
This is all a bit of a pitiful nonsense. The BBC is, to a degree, recession proof. Yes, it's had its budget frozen, but it has been wasting money through a combination of self-indulgent projects and simple wastefulness and mismanagement for years.
Comedy always seems to be regarded as some kind of optional extra. Well it isn't. Comedy was one of the key reasons that BBC radio, and later television, became such a massive success. It is not a financial burden when compared with drama, live sport or news gathering. The prejudice that some in broadcasting have against comedy is that it is a hard genre to satisfy an audience with, that it requires great skill to make, and that management is generally ill-equipped to understand and shepherd comedy well (even those with the word "comedy" in their job title). Far, far easier and safer to spend the cash on another generic cop drama, or a banal reality show.
And cutting the number of shows won't, perversely, improve the quality of those which are selected. That's not how TV works. The standard will actually diminish.
Oh, well. Looks like other channels such as C4 are investing heavily anyway, so that should balance stuff out. (As long as it's good comedy)
Last of the summer beer
Letting appearences go
Wallace
Ant
My Ex-family
Miniscule Britain
They want to save money at the BBC?
Cut EastEnders back to 3 episodes a week and only have Holby City and Casualty on for 16 episodes a year.
Simple.
I wonder how many dramaa, and drama soaps (Casualty/Holby stuff) will get cut back? Or is it just they see comedy in some way as 'cuttable'?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 27 2011, 9:40 PM GMTI wonder how many dramaa, and drama soaps (Casualty/Holby stuff) will get cut back? Or is it just they see comedy in some way as 'cuttable'?
As Tim said, those type of shows are low-risk and deliver in the ratings. Comedy is far trickier to get right and can stink out the schedules if they get it wrong.
If they get it right though it's export and merchandise galore!
Quote: Leevil @ January 27 2011, 10:03 PM GMTIf they get it right though it's export and merchandise galore!
A very good point. Compared with most TV drama and documentary, good TV comedy can turn a healthy profit for a network for many, many years. 
Unfortunately, most people in telly are short-termist dolts. 