British Comedy Guide

BBC Three orders new sitcom from Liam Williams

Thursday 28th February 2019, 10:37am

Liam Williams. Copyright: Sun Lee
  • Liam Williams is to star in a semi-autobiographical sitcom for BBC Three
  • Ladhood will be set across two timelines, present day London and mid-2000s Leeds
  • The BBC says "Ladhood has an exquisite concept at the heart"

BBC Three has ordered a new sitcom starring Liam Williams.

The semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy will be set across two timelines, present day London and mid-2000s Leeds.

The BBC explains: "Williams skewers modern-day masculinity by delving into the memories of his own misspent adolescence, loitering in the streets, parks and graveyards of suburban Garforth with his best mates Ralph, Addy and Craggy.

"Reflecting on lad culture and the formative experiences of his youth, Williams searches for the secret to a less idiotic future. But can he learn from his past mistakes?"

Williams, who also stars in BBC Three's Bafta nominated social media focused satire Pls Like, has previously written and created two series of Ladhood for Radio 4.

The comedian says: "I am excited to take on the challenge of playing a discontented man in his early 30s, struggling to break patterns of selfish and destructive behaviour. It will be a real test of my range. I'm grateful also to the BBC for this opportunity to consider the experiences of my youth and how they've shaped my adult personality, the process having being cheaper, and hopefully funnier, than therapy."

Shane Allen, Controller of BBC Comedy, comments: "Ladhood has an exquisite concept at the heart of it which presents a reflective perspective on who we were as teens and the formative experiences that shaped us. Liam's writing is pin sharp and this show has one of the most defining and original story-telling devices at the heart of it that we've seen since Peep Show."

Chris Sussman, Head of Comedy at BBC Studios, adds: "We're thrilled to take Liam's brilliant series on a journey from radio to TV. He's a masterful storyteller, full of wit, warmth and compassion - which is surprising when you see what he was like as a teenage boy."

Ladhood will be shown on BBC iPlayer and also on BBC One, in the new permanent slot that has been created for BBC Three programmes on the TV channel.

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