BBC Two orders Jack Dee's Help Desk
BBC Two has given the green light for a TV version of Jack Dee's Help Desk.
The format, which Jack Dee has been presenting as a live show in theatres since March 2014, sees the host and a panel of comedians attempting to help solve audience members' problems by offering them advice. However, the suggestions offered tend to be comic rather than useful.
Three episodes of the show, recorded especially for TV, will be broadcast on BBC Two in the run-up to May's General Election.
Dee, who is currently in Dubai to perform his stand-up show, revealed the news in an interview with local radio station Dubai 92.
As first spotted by Chortle, the comedian, when asked about the format, said "It's been doing really well; in fact I've been asked to do some for BBC Two, leading up to the election. So we'll be doing three specials which are sort of election-based."
Dee explained the format as follows: "I devised this idea, which is the audiences write a question or a problem or an issue on a card on the way in, and I have a panel of comedians, and we just work through the cards and we just try and deal with these peoples' problems on stage."
He added: "It's a fun format, everyone has a good time. It's completely un-prepared. No one knows what's going to come up, it could be anything."
The BBC has yet to officially announce the programme, but the live show's Twitter account confirmed: "Looks like Jack and his Help Desk advisers will be coming to your TV screens in the not too distant future."
The series is due to be recorded in April. Dee will continue to tour the show live in the meantime, with dates around the country set between March and June (tistings).
In the radio interview, Dee also confirmed he had no plans to return to his long-running sitcom Lead Balloon. The comedian's next TV acting role will be as an annoying landlord in the BBC Three sitcom Josh.
Below is Dee's interview with Dubai 92 in full: