Kayvan Novak developing voicemail show for BBC Three
- Kayvan Novak is developing a version of Radio 4's The Celebrity Voicemail Show for BBC Three
- The satirical format involves eavesdropping on fictional answerphone messages left on a celebrity's phone
- Kayvan is 'experimenting' with the format now, with an episode due to be shown on BBC Three later in 2017
Fonejacker star Kayvan Novak is working on a new BBC Three project.
He is developing a version of his Radio 4 comedy series The Celebrity Voicemail Show for the BBC's online channel.
The Celebrity Voicemail Show, which launched on Radio 4 in 2015, has so far run for two series. The premise is that listeners eavesdrop on the answerphone messages of a famous person, whereby they hear all the messages left for them by fictional characters such as security guards, catering managers, secretaries and delivery men.
The format, which was nominated for a prestigious international Rose d'Or award last year, sees Novak voicing all the characters calling in. Listeners do not hear the central character themselves, but the calls allow the central subject to be satirised.
The radio show has, to date, focused on Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Hollywood, Katie Hopkins, Barack Obama, Sadiq Khan and Nigel Farage.
Kayvan Novak revealed the plans for a new TV version in an interview with British Comedy Guide.
He explained: "It's quite a delicate transition, but I promise it will be a bonus of laughs as opposed to a completely new concept. My plan is to make a TV show that you can just listen to anyway, so it won't lose that sense of imagination that the radio brings, where you imagine what's going on."
Initially one episode will be produced, for broadcast via BBC Three later this year.
Details on which celebrity he has picked for the TV version have not yet been revealed, however he confirmed: "You know the person whose voicemail it is, but you don't see them. It'll be a multi-character show with various layers, and a potential animation element. We're experimenting right now; figuring out what the best way to execute that will be. There will be an optimum way of doing it."
He concluded: "I'm really excited to be doing it, as I love doing that show."
Novak was speaking to BCG to promote Britain Today Tonight, his new topical prank show which starts on Channel 4 on Friday at 10pm. Full interview