ITV give superhero sitcom the greenlight

ITV2 has commissioned a full series of No Heroics, a single-camera sitcom about the lives of a group of friends who just happen to be off-duty superheroes. The comedy follows the lives of four London-based off-duty superheroes and their struggles with love and fame (or the lack of it!).

A pilot of the show was filmed in April by Vicar of Dibley producer Tiger Aspect. Now ITV2 controller Zai Bennett and the ITV editor of comedy Michaela Hennessey-Vass have ordered a full eight-part series from the production company.

No Heroics will be the digital channel's first home grown sitcom; it goes into production early next year with a transmission date set for late 2008. The comedy will be forming part of ITV2's plan to move into more original programming and have less of a reliance on ITV1 spin-offs.

Zia Bennett told journalists: "We're taking real strides forward in comedy and as the channel's first ever original commissioned sitcom, No Heroics will play a huge part in that strategy. This is a perfect ITV2 comedy: it's witty, accessible and laugh-out-loud funny, and is being produced with real passion from a great team."

The comedy is being written and produced by Drew Pearce whose previous credits include producer roles on High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman and SM:TV Live. Mr Pearce said: "The superhero genre certainly seems ripe for a very British take on the subject, plus I have about 20 years' worth of comic books that I'm looking forward to finally being able to claim as expenses!"