King Gary to return for Series 2
- King Gary - the sitcom starring Tom Davis - is to return to BBC One for a second series
- The BBC is encouraged by the show's performance on iPlayer
The BBC has ordered a second series of King Gary, the sitcom starring Tom Davis.
BBC One has given the go-ahead for another run of the show, which follows working-class Gary King and his family, including wife Terri and dad 'Big' Gary.
The family have "aspirations to achieve social acceptance and moderate material success in competitive suburbia".
Piloted in December 2018, the sitcom's first series was released as a box set on BBC iPlayer in January this year. It is currently airing on BBC One on Friday nights, with Episode 6 due to be broadcast this Friday.
Also commenting on the recommission of The Goes Wrong Show, Shane Allen, Controller Comedy Commissioning, says: "These two shows are jam packed with colourful characters and family friendly jokes which embody the BBC's unique commitment to cross generational comedy starring UK talent at the heart of them.
"The iPlayer figures have transformed comedy's fortunes as the very healthy uplift in consolidated viewing and young audiences brings renewed faith in a genre where shows continue to be increasingly popular and discovered by new audiences over the months and years and even decades that follow."
Writer and star of King Gary, Tom Davis, says: "Both James and I have been overwhelmed by the lovely response to the first series and the way people have taken the King family into their hearts. We are so humbled it resonated with so many and are both excited to be returning to Butterchurn Crescent. Lully stuff."
Trade publication Broadcast noted of the programme's ratings: "Over the five past weeks in the Friday 9.30pm slot, it has delivered an average overnight audience of 1.2m (6.9%), less than half the slot's 2.5m (15%) slot average."
However the BBC told the publication it was "encouraged" by the show's performance on iPlayer, where the comedy has had more than 2.5 million requests to date.
A spokesperson said: "These are really encouraging figures for a brand new comedy."
Seven-day consolidated figures for the four episodes to date - including a week's catch-up time after each episode's initial broadcast - peak with Episode 1 at 2 million viewers, declining to 1.19m for Episode 4. The average is 1.54 million.
Written by Tom Davis and James De Frond, the show's cast list includes Tom Davis, Laura Checkley, Camille Coduri, Simon Day and Romesh Ranganathan.
Further details about Series 2 will be revealed in due course.