Bisexual sitcom coming to Channel 4
- Channel 4 has commissioned a show about a bisexual New Yorker in London
- The Bisexual is co-written, directed by and stars Desiree Akhavan
Channel 4 has announced the commissioning of a new sitcom entitled The Bisexual.
The Bisexual is described as "a painfully hilarious look at the difference of dating men and women from the perspective of a person who finds herself doing both. It's an honest look at the last taboo, bisexuality and what it means to refuse to compromise on what you want."
Written by Desiree Akhavan and Cecilia Frugiuele, Akhavan will also direct and play the lead role of New Yorker Leila, living in London and struggling to adjust.
The channel says: "Offering an outsider's view of Britain, The Bisexual is brimming with weird and wonky slices of urban life only apparent to those living on a temporary work visa, struggling to keep up with the discrepancy between what the English say versus how they actually feel. Leila is part brave, part reckless, 100% shameless and is embarking on a romantic Choose Your Own Adventure, trudging through the hell of dating - gay and straight."
Produced by Sister Pictures, they explain: "New Yorker Leila is feeling lost in London. Recently part of an uber-cool power couple, she's now split from girlfriend Sadie and is struggling to adjust. Moving in with a 'stranger off the internet' she soon discovers she's swapped her luxe old life (think: high quality condiments, plus a girlfriend who sorted all of the Life Admin) for a house-share with Gabe, a British guy who's only ever other female 'flat-mate' was his mum.
"Gabe doesn't know any lesbians and Leila's not got too much experience of hanging out with heterosexuals - their worlds collide in deeply awkward and revealing ways as he becomes her unlikely wingman and helps her to navigate her new life dating men."
Desiree Akhavan says: ''Getting to play in the sandbox with such intelligent collaborators at Sister Pictures and Channel 4 is an absolute dream come true. They're the perfect partners in crime for a taboo sex comedy. And by that I mean they're all perverts."
Channel 4's Nerys Evans, Deputy Head of Comedy, adds: "We are thrilled to be working with Desiree on her series The Bisexual. She has such a brilliantly unique viewpoint on finding love in your 30s. We love her candid observations, both on being an outsider in a strange city as well as the sexual politics encountered when you are neither straight nor gay. She's honest, authentic and brilliantly funny in her delivery."
Executive Producer Naomi de Pear adds: "Desiree has got the kind of sureness of voice as a writer and director that's rare in its honesty and hilarity. The Bisexual will be a shamelessly raw and questioning look at how people are exposed through their sex and relationships and the new rules, pitfalls and prejudices around that."
The series is expected to be broadcast in 2017.