British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide

Sitcom

Writing sitcom is hard to master... there's lots to think about and learn! Hopefully these articles will help you hone your situations and characters.

The House logo. Credit: BCG

The House: notes on notes

  • Thursday 27th February 2025

Micheál Jacob discusses script notes - all writers get them!

Person typing on a laptop

The first draft

  • Tuesday 25th February 2025

Some advice on writing the first draft of your script and combatting some of the problems that every writer faces on occasion.

Fleabag. Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Copyright: Two Brothers Pictures

Creating compelling comedy characters Long read

  • Thursday 30th January 2025

Chris Head explores character creation in television comedy scripts.

Count Abdulla. Abdulla Khan (Arian Nik)

The right way Long read

  • Thursday 23rd January 2025

The first in a new series of long reads. In this piece we ask, is there a right way to construct your sitcom?

Brassic

Making a scene

  • Friday 13th December 2024

Every scene in your comedy script should move the story forward - and contain something funny.

The Masterson Inheritance. Image shows from L to R: Phelim McDermott, Josie Lawrence, Jim Sweeney, Caroline Quentin, Lee Simpson, Paul Merton. Copyright: BBC

A word on parody

  • Tuesday 10th December 2024

We consider parody as a comic sub-genre.

The Inbetweeners. Will Mackenzie (Simon Bird). Copyright: Bwark Productions

Back to basics 2: Situation

  • Thursday 5th December 2024

We consider the "situation" in situation comedy.

Only Child. Image shows left to right: Richard (Greg McHugh), Lydia Bartlett (Samantha Spiro)

Sitcom or comedy drama?

  • Friday 29th November 2024

Sitcom or comedy drama - which should you write?

Cheaters

In comedy writing, proper explanations are key

  • Thursday 28th November 2024

"Why did you do that?"... "Just because." This is not a satisfactory answer - in life, or in a script.

Only Fools And Horses. Image shows left to right: Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), Del (David Jason)

"Has it been done before?"

  • Wednesday 20th November 2024

We consider the question that troubles every writer of a sitcom pilot.