Sam Bain

Written by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, the creators of Peep Show, Channel 4's new comedy-drama about a student flat at the University of Manchester opens with a semi-naked man making grunting noises over some hanging meat, and the tone never quite rises afterwards.
But for viewers who aren't easily offended, Fresh Meat's script is sharp, the lead character Kingsley is a sympathetic figure blessed with the endearing habit of saying the wrong thing to women, and the Gap Yah public schoolboy is rather amusing, even if his language will horrify anyone over 30 (if they can understand half of what he's saying).

Fans of current comedy may recognise a couple of faces in the cast: Kingsley is played by Joe Thomas (best known as Simon, the melodramatic sap who moons endlessly over Carli in E4's The Inbetweeners) and JP, the Gap Yah public schoolboy, is played by Jack Whitehall, the stand-up comedian often seen on panel shows such as BBC Two's Mock the Week and Channel 4's 8 Out of 10 Cats.

There's nothing particularly, ah, fresh about Fresh Meat, but this new teen comedy drama has an inbuilt likability which ensures that it's instantly preferable to the likes of Skins.

Created by Peep Show overlords Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, it stars Joe Thomas from The Inbetweeners as a hapless first-year student sharing a house in Manchester with a gaggle of contrasting characters, including a quietly scene-stealing Greg McHugh (star of BBC Scotland's Gary: Tank Commander) and - this will take some swallowing, I know - hitherto useless comedian Jack Whitehall proving perfectly acceptable in his first acting role. Mind you, he's playing an objectionable posh twit, so it's hardly a stretch.

The distinctive fingerprints of Armstrong and Bain are all over the opening episode, which leans more towards comedy than drama, as the various misfits get to know each other while desperately trying to reinvent themselves.

Rather sweet at heart, it should be applauded for generally eschewing the puerility, moralising and self-conscious "edge" which usually blights this genre. And if all it achieves is in some way vaguely justifying the existence of Jack Whitehall, then that has to count for something. Doesn't it?

Peep Show creators go back to college for Fresh Meat

Jack Whitehall, Greg McHugh and The Inbetweeners' Joe Thomas are among the stars of Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong's new C4 university-set comedy.

Sam Bain: New comedy writers have no place to cut teeth

Peep Show co-creator Sam Bain has warned that a "dearth of big, audience-friendly" TV comedies and a trend towards shows created by and starring well-known performers is denying opportunities to new writers.

Live Q&A: Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong

The writers of Peep Show and Four Lions return to Channel 4 next week with their new student comedy drama, Fresh Meat. They will be live online on Thursday between 1pm and 2pm - leave your questions for them here.

Writers surprised no-one made such a show for 27 years

Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, creators of new Channel 4 comedy Fresh Meat, say they are surprised no one has written about house sharing at university since The Young Ones.

BBC2's Rev reborn for second series

Peep Show co-creator Sam Bain to take over as script editor on sitcom praised by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Peep Show 7.4 review

Overall, this was a highlight of Series 7 and a great way to focus the talent of writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.

The fourth episode of the seventh series of Peep Show airs tonight - for those who haven't cheated and watched it online already. The cult sitcom is perfect communal viewing so it's really worth waiting until it airs every Friday on Channel 4. Tonight's is a corker. It's the day of baby Ian's Christening. Will Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb) get there in time? Well, no... They are trapped in the air-locked corridor of Jez's love interest Zahra's apartment block with no obvious way to escape. Farce ensues, while the hilarious friction between the two main characters once again reveals the brilliance of Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong's scriptwriting.