BBC One orders Hospital People series
- BBC One has ordered a full series of new sitcom Hospital People
- The mockumentary format, which stars Tom Binns, was first piloted as part of Comedy Playhouse 2016
- The show focuses on various characters (all played by Binns) who work at the fictional Brimlington Hospital
Hospital People, a mockumentary in which Tom Binns plays various characters, has been given a full series by BBC One.
The comedy was piloted in February as part of the BBC's Comedy Playhouse 2016 strand. Set in the fictional Brimlington Hospital, it follows the lives of a collection of characters connected to the hospital in some way, all of whom are played by character comedian Tom Binns.
The pilot included Binns's long-standing creations, tragic DJ Ivan Brackenbury (running the hospital radio station), and 'psychic healer' Ian D Montfort (as a porter). New characters introduced in the episode included hospital manager Susan Mitchell and hypochondriac patient Terry Boyle.
The pilot, which was seen by 1.56 million viewers according to overnight viewing figures, was in the main well received by the press. One review said: "How rare it was to laugh at Friday night BBC One comedy and I can only cross my fingers and hope a BBC executive somewhere has plans to grab this show and make turn it into a full series."
Production company Roughcut, which is also behind BBC Three's hit mockumentary People Just Do Nothing, is now working on new episodes. Ahead of filming, producers have organised a read-through of four scripts in front of a live audience in Sheffield on Monday 17th October (tickets). Binns will appear in character at the event alongside James Crookes, a real DJ from independent local radio station Hallam FM.
BBC commissioner Alex Moody says: "We're delighted to be working with the exceptionally talented Tom Binns. He's a brilliant multi-character performer and we can't wait to introduce BBC One viewers to each and every one of his hospital people."
Ash Atalla from Roughcut comments: "We're really happy about our first BBC One series commission. Roughcut TV is all grown up and delighted to be making a show for Britain's most prestigious channel. Hospital People is a testament to our talented team. And now we go to work to make this series the very best it can be."
Producer Jon Petrie adds: "Tom Binns is an outstanding comedy talent. It's great that BBC One has given Roughcut TV the opportunity to showcase the inner workings of Tom's brilliant but seriously weird mind."
Hospital People is expected to be shown on BBC One in 2017.