Channel 4 orders The Horne Section TV Show
- Channel 4 has commissioned a six episode series from Taskmaster creator Alex Horne and his band The Horne Section
- Described as "a unique blend of talk show and sitcom, music and mayhem", the commission follows a successful pilot
- "I've always thought the title of a show is indicative of the quality of the writing within a show, so The Horne Section TV Show looks set to be pretty special" Horne says
Channel 4 is consolidating its relationship with Taskmaster creator Alex Horne, commissioning a new series from his band The Horne Section, British Comedy Guide can exclusively reveal.
The Horne Section TV Show is described as "a unique blend of talk show and sitcom, music and mayhem". Six 30-minute episodes have been ordered following a successful pilot, which BCG revealed last year.
Formed in 2010, the six-piece features Horne as bandleader, Joe Auckland (trumpet and banjo), Mark Brown (saxophone and guitar), Will Collier (bass), Ben Reynolds (drums and percussion) and Ed Sheldrake (keyboards).
"I've always thought the title of a show is indicative of the quality of the writing within a show, so The Horne Section TV Show looks set to be pretty special" said Horne. "I've known some of these musicians for over forty years and I can safely say that it's very weird that any of them are now going to be in a six-part scripted comedy series on Channel 4."
BCG understands that the series is substantially different to the band's 2018 pilot for Dave, which was recorded at the London Palladium. A broadcast date has yet to be set.
The Horne Section provides the theme music for Taskmaster, which Channel 4 poached from Dave in 2019. They have also appeared as a group on 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, hosted Never Mind The Buzzcocks as an ensemble and occasionally performed as The Last Leg's house band.
Artists that members of the group have performed with include Amy Winehouse, Madness, Florence and the Machine, Robbie Williams, George Ezra, Basement Jaxx, Disclosure and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
The Horne Section TV Show is directed by Barbara Wiltshire (Frankie Boyle's New World Order, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown) and produced by Matt Stronge (Spitting Image, The Now Show) for the band's management company Avalon.
It was commissioned by Channel 4's head of comedy Fiona McDermott and commissioning executive Joe Hullait. The executive producers are Horne, James Taylor, Jon Thoday and Richard Allen-Turner for Avalon.
McDermott said: "Alex is an extraordinarily talented comic; unique, charming and unpredictable, The Horne Section TV Show is set to mirror all these qualities, with a unique blend of talk show and sitcom, music and mayhem and we can't wait to share it with the Channel 4 viewers."
Horne has just appeared on The Great Celebrity Bake Off for the channel. And he is currently co-hosting Series 13 of Taskmaster with Greg Davies, with the hit show's line-up consisting of Bridget Christie, Ardal O'Hanlon, Judi Love, Sophie Duker and Chris Ramsey.
A broadcast date will be announced later this year.