Channel 4 & Northern Ireland Screen Order Scripts

Channel 4 and Northern Ireland Screen have chosen three scripts to be written as part of the broadcaster’s Comedy Lab in Northern Ireland.

Funded by Channel 4’s 4Skills and Northern Ireland Screen, the program invites production companies to pitch their ideas to comedy teams. The lab was open to new and established talent, offering an opportunity to writers to develop distinctive comedy projects.

The three scripts selected are Socially Awarkward, Devolved and Mommune.

Socially Awarkward is written by Emer Maguire and developed with Chris Jones and Chris Martin at Nice One Productions / Indie Movie Company. The storyline follows a socially awkward counselor, Emer. When Emer is diagnosed as autistic, she loses everything but gains a clumsy assistance dog Dougal.

Devolved is written by Séamas O’Reilly and developed with Brian J. Falconer at Out of Orbit. Devolved is a workplace comedy about people who hate work and rarely govern. The comedy gives a glimpse into Stormont, showing the business of devolved government through a satirical lens.

Lastly, Mommune is written Leesa Harker and developed with Louise Gallagher at Hat Trick (Northern Ireland). The comedy centers around three lonely and isolated single mothers that move into a large house together, where they become a functional, dysfunctional family.

“We had so many brilliant submissions for our second Channel 4 Comedy Lab scheme,” said Charlie Perkins, head of comedy at Channel 4. “We’re really grateful for all the work that went into those and the joy it gave us in reading through. The selected three ideas are in that great Venn diagram of being distinctive ideas but with broad appeal so fit perfectly in our hunt for our next successful Northern Irish sitcom.”

“We’re delighted to support the Channel 4 Comedy Lab in Northern Ireland, a brilliant platform for writers to develop their craft and bring fresh, funny, local voices and stories to the screen,” said Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen. “Our unique sense of humor, sharp wit and talent for storytelling are what set us apart, and this initiative is helping ensure that our comedy continues to connect with audiences at home and beyond.”