Mumbai Calling gets prime-time ITV1 series

It has emerged that ITV1 will broadcast a full series of the call-centre based sitcom Mumbai Calling following its successful pilot last year.

The comedy, which was created by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, was piloted on ITV1 last May. It was only seen by 1.9 million viewers (a 9% share of the audience); however this can probably be attributed to the fact that it was scheduled at the same time as the launch of the new series of Big Brother on Channel 4.

The comedy focuses on the character of Kenny Gupta (Bhaskar), who is dispatched to India by a retail tycoon to try and turn around the fortunes of a call centre he has just purchased. Kenny is accompanied on his trip by the tycoon's pampered daughter Tiffany - a woman whom Kenny has adored from afar for years - and Tiffany's gormless, freeloading cousin Anthony. Once in India, the English team clash with Dev, the manager of the call centre who's been using the business as a base for his own lucrative side lines.

Filming has just wrapped in Mumbai on the seven new 30 minute episodes, which have been produced by Allan McKeown Presents. This first full series has been scripted by a 12-strong team of writers, lead by Bhaskar and Andrew Collins. ITV1 are planning to broadcast these new episodes in a prime-time slot in their autumn schedule.

The premise of the pilot remains intact, though the setting had been upgraded from a grubby office to a shiny modern set that reflects modern call centres.

Producer Allan McKeown talked about the new episodes to an industry website: "We didn't forget that the most important element is the script and 12 writers contributed to the final scripts. We think the shows are funny, very funny."

To find out more about Mumbai Calling see our guide to the show.