ITV Studios Commissioned for BBC Comedy

LONDON: ITV Studios has been commissioned for a new half-hour scripted comedy for BBC Three, White Van Man, while the company’s Leeds-based production unit, Shiver, has been tapped to produce the format May the Best House Win for ITV1 Daytime.

White Van Man, which will star Will Mellor (The Street, Hollyoaks, Casualtyand Clive Mantle (Holby City, Casualty), profiles an underdog trying to make a living while going through an onslaught of chaotic situations, which temp him to flee in his van. Saurabh Kakkar, the creative director of comedy at ITV Studios (UK), said, “We‘re all incredibly excited to be making White Van Man for BBC Three. Having worked briefly in a White Van in my youth, I feel a little of Ollie’s pain as he tries to make the best of his unpredictable lot. I think audiences will too; it’s a real slice of modern working life, full of warmth and great gags and reinforces what a huge talent Will Mellor is.”

Kakkar added, “It’s also the first narrative created by writer and stand-up Adrian Poynton, and we’re really proud, along with BBC Three, to be developing new talent in this way.”  

Simon Lupton, the commissioning editor at the BBC, said, "Adrian has created a heart-warming world that can deliver big laughs, and characters you quickly fall in love with. It’s rare to find a new writer who can write with such confidence, and with such a strong team beside him we firmly believe White Van Man will be a treat for the viewers. We are also delighted that BBC Three can continue its relationship with Will Mellor. A firm favorite in Two Pints of Lager, the audience is going to love him in this new role."

May the Best House Win, slated to air on ITV1 this winter, watches as four proud homemakers inspect each other’s house and comment of the style, and also get to hear what their visitors think of their space.

ITV’s factual commissioning editor, Diana Howie, said: "This warm and affectionate series gives viewers the chance to see inside the homes of the wonderful, diverse great British public as we lift the lid on the fascinating, varied and often quirky tastes within."

Mark Robinson, Shiver’s creative director, commented, “We’ve been involved in some fun shows and series over the last ten years but this has the potential to be of the funniest of the lot. The British public has spent years watching TV makeover shows like Changing Rooms so we’ve become a nation of interior design specialists—now it’s time for British homeowners to show off all that new-found expertise!”

He added, “Shiver is well known for its archive brands like The 100 Greatest and After They Were Famous. This commission takes us in a in a new direction. Wherever you are in the world you are proud of your home and we believe this could be a format with international potential.”

Remy Blumenfeld, the director of formats at ITV Studios, added, “It is exciting for Shiver to extend its program portfolio into factual entertainment formats. We think this is a very likeable format that will have universal appeal and will attract international broadcasters looking for long-running series suitable for daytime slots.”