Rose Matafeo gets BBC Three sitcom Starstruck
- Rose Matafeo will write and star in her own BBC Three sitcom
- Starstruck sees the Kiwi comic play a London-living 20-something juggling two jobs
- Her life becomes far more complex when she discovers she's slept with a film star
Rose Matafeo will star in her own BBC Three sitcom.
The BBC has commissioned 6 episodes of Starstruck, a new comedy written by and starring the Kiwi comic, who won the prestigious Best Comedy Show title at last year's Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
Produced by Avalon, the sitcom is a joint commission for US distribution with HBO's upcoming premium streaming platform, HBO Max.
The comedy will follow 20-something millennial Rose, living in London and struggling to cope with two dead-end jobs to pay the bills, whose awkward morning-after-the-night-before takes on a whole new level when she discovers her latest bedroom conquest is actually a famous film star.
Matafeo says: "The BBC have been so supportive of this project from the get-go and to be able to get this show in front of American audiences at the same time via HBO Max is truly exciting. I'm thrilled we get to make it, otherwise it would've technically just been a creepy fan fiction script that I submitted to the national broadcaster. The team we've brought together for this series are absolute dreamboats and I'm super excited to be working with them."
Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning at the BBC, says: "Very rarely does a comedy talent land as fully formed and instantly magnetic as Rose. Her assertive millennial female voice is the perfect fit for BBC Three given the strong track record we have in launching sitcoms that speak to a younger audience. Prepare to be utterly enchanted by her winning blend of whip smart writing and the rich character world she has created."
Fiona Campbell, Controller, BBC Three, says: "Comedy is a huge focus for BBC Three and it always performs really well for us. We already have some great comedy characters and writers that our audience loves and we're really excited to add Rose's voice to that list and introduce her to the channel."
Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content at HBO Max, says: "The minute we were introduced to Rose and Starstruck, we knew we had something special. She is exactly the type of original, culture-forward creator we are excited to be working with at HBO Max and we are looking forward to a long partnership."
Jon Thoday, executive producer and MD of Avalon, says: "Rose is an exceptional talent and we are delighted with the incredibly important immediate support from the BBC and very pleased we are partnering with HBO Max on this exciting show."