Channel 4 to replace Comedy Lab with E4 Funnies
[y]Channel 4[/y] has announced that it is going to replace its long-running pilot strand Comedy Lab with a new series of pilots for digital network E4.
In 2012 a new four part series called E4 Funnies will replace Comedy Lab. The current £800,000 budget for the pilot season will remain the same, so although there will be few pilots in the new format, the budget for each individual pilot will be bigger.
Part of the reason for this decision is to clarify the difference between the current Comedy Lab, which is devoted to comedy pilots with brand new talent, and Channel 4's Comedy Showcase season. The latter is seen as more established but still experimental; for example, well-known performers turning to writing for the first time.
Comedy Lab first began in 1998, and was broadcast almost every year on late-night Channel 4 until 2010, and has moved to E4 in 2011. It has spawned several well known comedy shows including Trigger Happy TV, Fonejacker and School Of Comedy. It also offered early TV appearances for comedians such as Jimmy Carr, Mitchell & Webb, Peter Kay and Ricky Gervais.
The 2011 Comedy Lab series is currently in a mid-run hiatus, with three pilots to be shown from the end of this month. These are sitcom The Warm Up Guy, starring Tom Davis (The Morgana Show); Mr & Mrs Hotty Hott Hot Show featuring sketch group Pappy's (pictured); and sports comedy Kabadasses.
As previously announced, alongside E4 Funnies and the Comedy Showcase strand, Channel 4 is producing a new series of web pilots titled Comedy Blaps. Due to begin next month, the inaugural run will include an adaptation of adult comic Viz and a cartoon series created by the team behind Modern Toss.