Jerk to return for Series 3
- Tim Renkow will return with a third series of Jerk
- The sitcom follows a disabled man who uses his cerebral palsy as an excuse for awful behaviour
- The BBC Three comedy will extend to a six episode run for the first time
Jerk, the BBC Three sitcom starring Tim Renkow, is to return for a six-part third series.
Written by Renkow and Shaun Pye, the sitcom focuses on the character of Tim (Renkow), a man who uses the fact that he has cerebral palsy to try to get away with anything.
The BBC explains: "Tim makes people feel uncomfortable. He knows that because he does it on purpose. But that's his problem, time spent taking aim at small targets means he constantly misses out on life's bigger prizes.
"Series 3 sees Tim further bulldoze the sensitivities of modern life with a lead role in a movie, a stint as a drug mule, a job advising government on disability and generally attacking anything that takes itself too seriously. Series 3 also charts a touching love story as Tim falls for a disability activist with an agenda. Is that the sound of wedding bells, as Tim finally meets his match..."
Tim Renkow says: "They renewed us?! Really?!! Oh shit, I got to get to work."
Jerk launched as a pilot in 2016, before becoming a series in 2019. Renkow was nominated for Breakthrough Act at the RTS Awards 2020 and Jerk won the Representation of Disability Award at the Mipcom Diversify TV Excellence awards. A second series was broadcast in the summer of 2021.
Lorraine Bracco, who plays Tim's mum; Sharon Rooney, who portrays his indifferent care worker Ruth; and Rob Madin, who plays friend Idris, are all expected to return for the new run of episodes.
Alex Smith, executive producer from production company Roughcut TV, says: "The great disruptor is back. Not Trump, but Renkow - and just as offensive. Roughcut are thrilled to bring 6 more episodes of BAFTA nominated Tim Renkow - still scripted TV's first and only disabled lead - to the BBC. This series promises to question the licence fee like no other has."
Mat Steiner from Primal Media adds: "It is great that the only person on earth who Elon Musk might actually ban from Twitter will ambush our screens again."
The news was announced by Jon Petrie, the BBC's Director of Comedy, in a speech at the industry-focused BBC Comedy Festival, in which he revealed the corporation is set to invest extra £10 million into comedy over the next two years. A number of other commissions were announced today, including a new series of Bad Education and a Detectorists special. Full story