Harry Hill returns to ITV
- Harry Hill is to return to ITV in a brand new show
- Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule is a panel show all about finding the funny
- A series will be broadcast in 2017
ITV has commissioned a brand new panel show starring Harry Hill.
Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule sees teams tasked with compiling a capsule of evidence to demonstrate to a potential alien invasion force that "earthlings are good fun and therefore worthy of saving".
The channel explains: "Over a series of rounds, the two teams of two present Harry with fun stuff - clips, people, basically anything that is fun or funny enough - which Harry must adjudicate on and ultimately decide what's in and what's out of the Fun Capsule with the triumphant team winning bragging rights.
"Along the way there will be sketches, studio items and special guests. And the occasional appearance of an alien."
The format has been known about for some time, with work-in-progress live gigs having taken place as early as 2015, which saw Hill developing the programme.
Harry Hill says of the commission: "It's great to be back on ITV with an all new format that finally tackles the problem of an imminent and prolonged war with space aliens, by proving to them that us humans are really a lot of fun to hang out with!"
Comedy Commissioner Saskia Schuster adds: "We're really excited to have Harry back on ITV, and we're confident that the human race will be safe in his hands with this brand new panel show packed with laughs, silliness and of course, fun."
Hill departed ITV in 2012, amidst a row over the continuation of the long-running ratings hit TV Burp. He had complained that watching so much television to make the series over such long runs - up to 26 weeks of the year at a time - left him feeling suicidal. The decision lead him to leave his long-time agent and the production company of the series, Avalon. He made a brief return to the channel early in 2015, with an ill-fated attempt to revive the talent show format Stars In Their Eyes.
Harry Hill can next be seen on Sky 1, for whom he has just recorded a brand new chat and spoof-cookery show, Harry Hill's Tea-Time. It is expected to broadcast later this Autumn.
Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule will be made by Hill's own production company, Nit TV, established in conjunction with CPL, and broadcast in 2017 on ITV.