BBC Comedy Festival 2024 sessions revealed
- The BBC Comedy Festival 2024 will be in Glasgow on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd May
- Speakers will include Armando Iannucci, Jennifer Saunders and Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith
- Some of the sessions are open for the public to attend. Book here
Armando Iannucci, Jennifer Saunders and Inside No. 9 stars Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith will be amongst the speakers taking part in the BBC Comedy Festival 2024, which is in Glasgow on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd May.
The BBC explains: "Now in its third year, following on from the success of Newcastle in 2022 and Cardiff in 2023, the festival is an opportunity to gather the component parts of the comedy industry together and remind people that British comedy is one of our greatest cultural triumphs.
"Across two days there will be a series of talent-led talks, panels, screenings, a short film night and two live stand-up evenings."
The Thick Of It writer/director/producer Armando Iannucci will return to Glasgow to talk about his career in comedy including huge milestones such as On The Hour, The Day Today, I'm Alan Partridge, Veep, In The Loop and The Death Of Stalin.
Jennifer Saunders will discuss her journey in the world of comedy including her unforgettable performances in Absolutely Fabulous and French And Saunders.
The cast of the BBC's award-winning Glasgow sitcom, Two Doors Down, will take to the stage instead of Latimer Crescent to read two episodes from the series' original scripts, followed by a Q&A.
Plus, to mark the final series of Inside No. 9, award-winning writer/creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton will discuss their careers and influences and take an in-depth dive into what has made the BBC show a modern classic.
Other names confirmed for the festival include social media stars Jonathan Pie and Michael Spicer, Mawaan Rizwan (Juice), Michelle de Swarte (Spent), Robert Popper (Friday Night Dinner), Ashley Storrie (Dinosaur) and filmmakers Louis Paxton (Wreck) and Joelle Mae David (Dreaming Whilst Black).
Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy, says: "We're looking forward to hosting the BBC Comedy Festival 2024 in Glasgow this year, where we'll be celebrating some of the finest Scottish minds making comedy today. We've also curated an incredible line-up of creative comic talent from across the UK and beyond, who will be sharing their experiences and expertise, helping to bolster our ecosystem and recognise a crucial part of British culture."
A full schedule is below. This year, many of the sessions are only open to guests invited by the BBC, however the Stefani Robinson, Jennifer Saunders, Inside No. 9 and Jonathan Pie & Michael Spicer sessions do have free tickets available. Book online
Wednesday 22nd May
19:30 - 21:30: A Night Of Comedy Short Films
A screening and networking event.
20:00 - 21:30: Stand Up!
An evening of stand-up comedy in association with Glasgow International Comedy Festival. Headlined by Christopher Macarthur-Boyd.
Thursday 23rd May
10:00 - 11:15: BBC Comedy Commissioning Update
Join Jon Petrie, BBC's Director of Comedy, as he reflects on comedy at the BBC and shares the latest comedy brief. Alongside him, Julia McKenzie (Commissioning Editor, BBC Radio 4) will provide updates on the newest audio brief, while our audiences team will offer invaluable insights. Plus special guests to keep you entertained.
11:45 - 12:30: Having A Laugh? Producing Scripted Comedy From Scotland
There are more hours of scripted television being produced in Scotland than ever before but is it harder than ever to win commissions? An experienced industry panel including Jacqueline Sinclair (producer, Two Doors Down, Limmy's Show), Gavin Smith (commissioning executive, BBC Scotland) and Neil Webster (executive producer) will discuss the challenges and the opportunities of producing scripted comedy in Scotland, from new talent pathways to funded development and production.
12:00 - 13:00: Armando Iannucci In Conversation
From the pin-sharp dissection of news shows in On The Hour and The Day Today, to the political maelstrom of The Thick Of It, writer/director/producer Armando Iannucci's work hasn't just reflected contemporary society, it has defined it; life imitates art when barely a day passes in Westminster these days without talk of an "omnishambles". Now Armando returns to Glasgow to talk about these shows and his other huge comedy milestones - I'm Alan Partridge, Veep, In The Loop, The Death Of Stalin - with journalist Siobhan Synnot.
13:15 - 14:00: Sounds Funny
In the world of comedy, the sound of laughter may be the ultimate goal, but it's the often-overlooked sound design process that plays a crucial role in crafting those comedic moments that leave audiences chuckling. This session delves into the world of sound design, music composition & sound tracking with insights, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from our expert guest panellists to help us gain a newfound appreciation for the art of sound in comedy. Hosted by Neil Webster.
13:30 - 14:15: Don't Say The F Word
Feelgood, Family... just straight out Funny. These words get used a lot in our briefs, audiences are crying out for them, but broad, returnable, (ideally) pre-watershed sitcoms are still thin on the ground. This session hopes to go beyond these catch-all terms and unlock the secrets of long-running sitcoms, from people who've made them. What are the risks and rewards of chasing a wide audience? Does family viewing have to be about families? Isn't it better to start small? Wouldn't you rather get 5 stars in the Guardian? A must-attend debate for producers and creatives.
14:30 - 15:15: Ditch the Prehistoric Practices: How Dinosaur evolved its own approach to access requirements and crew well being
A new dawn is coming and crew well-being, access requirements and neurodiversity awareness are at the front of it. The team behind new BBC Scottish sitcom Dinosaur outline the practical steps and holistic whole crew approach they took to understanding their teams' requirements. Plus the Working Differently project join the panel to outline their guide to working with ND talent and BBC Creative Diversity offer the broadcaster insight and expectations from prep to post.
14:45 - 15:45: Stefani Robinson In Conversation
Stefani Robinson is an Emmy-nominated writer and executive producer known for the critically acclaimed FX series Atlanta and What We Do In The Shadows. Robinson is the first Black woman to receive Emmy nominations for both "Outstanding Comedy Series" and "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" and has won two Writers Guild of America awards. She is also the first and youngest Black woman ever nominated for a solo-written entry in the latter writing category. Other television credits include supervising producer and writer on the fourth instalment of the Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning limited series Fargo and staff writer on the FXX comedy series Man Seeking Woman. Here she talks to Michelle de Swarte about her career and work.
15:45 - 16:30: How to Make Your First Short
Are you an aspiring comedy filmmaker with big dreams to make people chuckle? Join us for an exclusive masterclass at the Comedy Festival where you'll hear from exciting filmmakers who got their start with shorts. You'll find out about their development process, how they went about finding funding, and their experience submitting to festivals. We'll also talk to them about their leap from shorts to high end TV. Joining us are filmmakers Louis Paxton (Neville Is Dead, Wreck, Calamity James), Joelle Mae David (Dreaming Whilst Black, Queenie) & Niamh McKeown (Dinosaur, Ginny Reaper). Hosted by Mawaan Rizwan.
16:15 - 17:15: An Audience with Jennifer Saunders
Renowned for her unforgettable performances in Absolutely Fabulous and French And Saunders, Jennifer Saunders has established herself as a comedic icon. With accolades including 2 International Emmy Awards, 5 BAFTA Awards, a prestigious BAFTA Fellowship, 1 Writers Guild Award, and 2 Royal Television Society Awards, Saunders' illustrious career spans television, theatre, film, and radio. Don't miss the chance to engage in this captivating session as she joins Holly Walsh in an insightful conversation about her extraordinary journey in the world of comedy.
17:00 - 17:45: Mind The Gap
As the Comedy financing landscape becomes trickier to navigate than ever, join the industry's finest, including Geraldine Atlee (Head of Business, Scripted, BBC) and Sarah Monteith (CEO, Baby Cow) for an in-depth exploration of co-productions, financial dynamics, evolving comedic trends and the myriad of ways you can explore to plug your funding gap. Leading this insightful discussion is comedy aficionado Ash Atalla (MD, Roughcut) poised to uncover the answers to all your invaluable questions.
18:00 - 19:00: The Inside Story: Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith
This year sees the broadcast of the ninth and final series of the multiple award winning Inside No. 9. Over the last ten years it has beguiled audiences across the globe with its ingenious storytelling, dark humour and trademark twists. In this session writer/creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton discuss their careers and influences and take an in depth dive into what has made the show a modern classic. Hosted by Muriel Gray.
18:15 - 19:00: Jonathan Pie and Michael Spicer Masterclass
Radio 4's Comedy Commissioner Julia McKenzie is joined by Tom Walker (Jonathan Pie), Michael Spicer and their R4 producers Alison Vernon-Smith (Yada Yada) and Matt Tiller (Tillervision) covering character, satire, sitcom and sketch and moving from video to audio... Pie's regular YouTube and Twitter/X rants have a huge following and Call Jonathan Pie aired on BBC Sounds and Radio 4 last year which The Sunday Times called "the most consistent, compelling satire and sitcom to have been aired by the BBC this decade". Michael Spicer, best known for his hugely popular The Room Next Door videos on Twitter/X, has had two series of sitcom Before Next Door air on Radio 4 and has a new sketch podcast called No Room launching just before the festival.
20:00 - 21:30: Stand Up!
An evening of stand-up comedy in association with Glasgow International Comedy Festival. Headlined by Susie McCabe.
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