Frankie Boyle could host American show
Controversial stand-up comedian Frankie Boyle could sign up to star in his own TV series in America.
The comedian's sketch show, Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights, which was broadcast on Channel 4 in December, received much negative press. His near-the-knuckle jokes about subjects including AIDS and cancer outraged some viewers, and glamour model Katie Price made the comedian front page news when she complained to media watchdog Ofcom after he made jokes about her disabled son.
However, The Daily Star reports that Boyle is set to have 'the last laugh' as two American networks have expressed an interest in signing him. According to the paper, both the high-brow HBO and 'laddish' Spike TV want to talk to the Glasgow-born comedian about presenting a late-night one-man show in America.
The Daily Star reports that executives from both HBO and Spike want to meet the comedian to talk about possible formats. Media analyst Mike Raia told the paper: "Frankie's outrageous style is exactly what they are looking for in a scheduling period that is posing new ratings problems. An increasing number of young adult viewers, predominantly male, are channel-surfing after midnight with very few current shows to keep them glued to the screen."
HBO has previously co-produced both Extras and Little Britain USA, and is currently screening the second animated series of The Ricky Gervais Show (coming to Channel 4 later in the year). Meanwhile Spike TV's programming includes shows such as Ultimate Fight Night and Deadliest Warrior.
It has been widely reported that Channel 4 is about to 'dump' Boyle as Jay Hunt, who is the new head of the channel, doesn't want the organisation to continue to be linked to the controversy surrounding Tramadol Nights. However, Channel 4 themselves deny this and say that no decision has yet been made on whether Tramadol Nights will get a second series.
Frankie Boyle was notably absent from The British Comedy Awards on Saturday, with many believing he was not invited by Channel 4 for fear that he would say something unacceptable on live TV. Comedy Awards host Jonathan Ross joked on that night that he "felt as welcome as Frankie Boyle at The Pride Of Britain Awards."
In 2009 Frankie Boyle said he plans to quit stand-up when he reached the age 40, because he thinks most comedians "are rubbish once they hit 40." Boyle, who is now 38, said at the time: "I'm not a performance junkie. I don't need the fix of adulation. I'll give it two more years and then retire."