UKTV Greenlights First Original Comedies for Gold

LONDON: UKTV has commissioned three titles for its classic-comedy channel Gold as part of its push to air more original scripted content on the network.

Among the new commissions is Henry IX, a single-camera series set in the fictitious, contemporary court of Henry IX, King of the United Kingdom. Also on the roster are Marley’s Ghost, an ensemble piece about a woman who can speak with the dead, and Bull, a studio comedy about a man trying to run an antiques store alongside his dysfunctional staff. All those series will be made up of three half-hour episodes, with broadcast set for late this year and early 2016.

Richard Watsham, UKTV’s director of Commissioning, said: “The first three of our new commissions for Gold offer a fantastic range of different stories and comic styles. Between them they will start to establish a new tone of voice for our originations. We’ve deliberately targeted scripts that play to Gold viewers’ known love of classic British sitcom but they’re also modern, sharply written pieces which deliver on our promise of high-quality, world-class comedy.”

Steve North, Gold’s general manager, added: “It is a testament to UKTV’s continued growth in the broadcast market that these new commissions have attracted the very best new and established writers and producers. They showcase an eclectic and original range of comedy that will ideally complement Gold’s archive selection of Britain’s best-loved sitcoms whilst at the same time bring a freshness to the comedy Gold offers.”