Marcus Brigstocke to star in Joy Of Techs gadget series
- Dave has ordered Joy Of Techs, a factual entertainment show about gadgets
- Marcus Brigstocke and his friend Alexis Conran will roam the UK putting technology to the test
- Brigstocke is convinced most technology is a waste of time and money; Conran meanwhile is a technophile
Marcus Brigstocke is to co-host a new factual entertainment show about gadgets and technology
UKTV channel Dave has ordered Joy Of Techs, a new 10-part series in which the comedian and his best friend Alexis Conran (The Real Hustle presenter and Celebrity MasterChef winner) put gadgets to the test on location.
The channel describes the format as follows: "Award-winning writer, comedian, actor and self-confessed technophobe Marcus Brigstocke and his best mate, gadget obsessive actor, broadcaster and 2016 Celebrity Masterchef winner Alexis Conran rove the UK, pitting themselves against each other as they tackle classic scenarios, hobbies and games from opposite ends of the spectrum, and put the world's top gadgets to the test.
"Alexis is a technophile who has everything. Marcus has his old school kit. Will Alex be able to make Marcus fall in love with tech, or can retro savvy ever win the day? Joy Of Techs sees the best friends experiencing the great outdoors as they go low and high tech camping. Alexis tries to convince Marcus technology is the way forward while Marcus is sure the old way is best and will do everything in his might to prove he's right."
Marcus Brigstocke says: "Even if we needed half the so called 'life-hack' crap they produce - most of it is so complicated it rarely works. You're left with some gormless consumption slave holding a widget aloft trying to find a signal. Nonsense! I'll tell you a good bit of tech - the zip. That works. The match. Brilliant. Now poor Alex is obsessed with this stuff and in the Joy Of Techs I will take great pleasure in demonstrating to him that it's a waste of time and money. It's going to be fun. I will be setting the timer on my VHS recorder for this series... If I can find the remote control thing."
Alexis Conran adds: "Technology is the way forward and if anything has a button on it... I'm in! I'm not worried about our friendship suffering on this show, as we can both be stubborn and argumentative, but I do worry about killing ourselves trying to prove our point!"
Commissioner Iain Coyle comments: "Alexis and Marcus have a real friendship - warm, funny and encompassing a competitiveness bordering on the unhealthy. It's a brilliantly simple format that pushes all those buttons and you get to see solar powered cars and flying bikes too."
Marcus Brigstocke has previously worked with Dave as one of the team captains on their panel show Argumental.
Steve North, Dave's general manager, comments: "We're delighted to welcome back Marcus Brigstocke to Dave. His hugely original and entertaining take on the world of gadgetry will strike a chord with anyone who has ever struggled to grasp the techie zeitgeist. Combined with Alexis's uber competitive nature to try and convince Marcus - and all of us - that technology can triumph."
Dan Chambers, Executive Producer for production company Blink Films, adds: "It's a genuine thrill to be making Joy Of Techs for Dave. Marcus and Alexis come with a ready-made chemistry and a competitive streak that is hugely entertaining to watch.
"Whether they're turning a daily commute into an episode of Wacky Races, destroying each other's tents on a camping weekend or competing to win the heart of a robot girlfriend, the real joy is going to be in watching their friendship being pushed to its limits every week - along with the tech they'll be testing."
Joy Of Techs will be shown on Dave in 2017.