Baby Cow release new sitcom pilots
Two brand new digital comedy series from BBC Studios and Baby Cow Productions are being released online via YouTube and Facebook.
The Train
This four part series follows three train employees trapped in an unspoken love triangle. They're also trapped (more or less) aboard the train on which they work. The Train is described as "a warm, moving sitcom that takes place over the course of a year - where small things become big things in the awkward, confined and quite public space of a commuter train."
Created and written by Lucy Pearman, the series also stars Tim Key and Kiell Smith-Bynoe. Guest stars include Alex Lowe, Felicity Montagu, Jason Forbes and Natalie Cassidy.
Episode 1 is available to view now:
Subsequent episodes will be arriving daily. Series guide
What's Happening?
Created by The Pin - Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen - What's Happening? is a sitcom about a wildly disruptive video podcast, featuring a cast of top comedians portraying the rogue's gallery of unhinged interviewees.
Each episode, hosts Robin (the stupid man's Louis Theroux) and Leo (the even more stupid man's Logan Paul) delve deep into everything from masculine identity to political activism, as they grill a special guest on a pressing contemporary issue with the help (but hindrance) of their conspiracy theorist techie Maz. The 'enlightening conversation' is inevitably derailed by Robin and Leo's personal foibles, when discursive debate quickly spirals into farcical narrative.
The Pin are jopined in the five-part series by Mariam Haque and guest stars Rufus Sewell, Natasia Demetriou, Seb Cardinal, Ellie White and Paul Chahidi.
Episodes will be published daily, starting Monday 3rd October.
The series form part of Baby Shorts, an initiative to showcase both new and established comedy talent, following Baby Cow's ongoing commitment to supporting breakthrough talent and as part of the company's overall digital strategy to develop new comedy formats.
Athena Witter from BBC Studios says: "We are beyond thrilled at what Baby Cow have created for us, fusing the best of linear talent - both on and off camera - with a snappy, digital-first sensibility to produce two, very funny but very different shows."
Chris Allen from BBC Studios adds: "The opportunity to work with exciting new writing talent like Lucy, Ben and Alex has been wonderful. The energy, fun and fresh ideas they've brought to their shows is proof of why we need to work with emerging talent of all kinds."
Executive producer Rupert Majendie comments: "I've always loved short form and recognised its importance in developing new talent and different ideas, which we're committed to at Baby Cow. Baby Shorts are all about growing the next generation of amazing talent and I'm so excited we're able to provide this platform to present their new comedy ideas."
Asha Amster from Baby Cow adds: "Witty, innovative, irreverent - this is heartland comedy for Baby Cow. Straight to our fan base, Baby Shorts allows us to test new IP and develop formats, with more expected in coming months."
Sarah Monteith, CEO at Baby Cow, says: "The digital shorts are an important place for our team and our talent to be particularly creatively playful. Baby Cow has always innovated, this is the perfect space to super charge that tradition."
The Train creator Lucy Pearman says: "I am incredibly grateful to Rupert and everyone at Baby Cow & BBC Studios for the chance to make The Train. I still can't believe all the cast said yes. They were absolutely superb and coped extremely well when on the first day, the train accidentally didn't turn up."
Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen note: "Always hard to sell your own stuff without sounding mad. This is better than Titanic and Only Fools And Horses combined. Curious now? If you're fed up of 'online content' thinking it's clever and important, then we think this is a satirical tonic (which is quite clever and important)."