TalkbackThames moves into web comedy

Independent production house TalkbackThames is joining companies like Baby Cow in testing out the potential of using the internet as a platform for distributing new comedy.

Talkback have signed comedy troupe Navelgazing to a two-year deal, with the aim of helping them develop projects for TV and digital media. Navelgazing is made up of Jack Brough, Dan Johnston, Jamie Deeks and Ewen MacIntosh; the latter two are probably best known as being Jamie and Keith in The Office.

The first online project from the new partnership will be Toyboize, a six episode single-camera sitcom that will be distributed for free via YouTube and its own website. The comedy is about a former child pop group who re-form 20 years later after their song is used in a mobile phone advert. A five minute episode will be uploaded each week, and will be supported with other online material like diary entries and video sketches during the week.

Viewers will be able to access all this via toyboize.com. The website already contains fictitious news and information about the band to support the forthcoming episodes.

Jack Brough from Navelgazing says: "We're treating it as the pilot of an internet comedy show, but have deliberately produced six small storylines that could become snatches of a series if picked up for TV, we're filming every day throughout the series, and people's responses will feed the narrative."

Baby Cow productions have previously tried venturing into online sitcom. Last year they launched Where Are The Joneses? - although this project picked up much press, it never really caught on and has since been shelved.