ITV today confirmed that Vicious , The Job Lot and Plebs are all to return for a second series.
ITV’s Director of Entertainment and Comedy, Elaine Bedell, said:
“A sharp tongued couple, a west midlands job centre, Rome in 27 BC – we’re delighted to be returning to all of them. More importantly, we’re pleased to be continuing our push in scripted comedy and to have a developing raft of shows, across ITV.”
Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi will both be back as the sharp tongued, long-term couple Freddie and Stuart, in Vicious.
Together for the past 50 years, the irascible couple now spend their remaining ones entertaining their friends, avoiding Stuart’s mother, checking their ailing dog is still alive and of course, bickering.
Embracing life at a certain age, they will once again be joined by feisty best friend Violet (Frances De La Tour), the dizzy, forgetful Penelope (Marcia Warren), and their now not-so-new neighbour upstairs, Ash (Iwan Rheon).
Vicious is a Brown Eyed Boy production in association with Kudos. The show was co-created by the Emmy nominated writer Gary Janetti and the Olivier award-winning playwright Mark Ravenhill. The producers are Gary Reich from Brown Eyed Boy and Gary Janetti.
Sarah Hadland and Russell Tovey will return to head the cast of The Job Lot, which has moved from ITV and will now air on ITV2.
The comedy, set in a busy West Midlands Job Centre focuses on the relationships between the people that work there and the people that don’t work there, or anywhere else for that matter.
The Job Lot boasted an impressive ensemble cast including Sophie McShera, Tony Maudsley, Jo Enright, Martin Marquez, Angela Curran, Adeel Akhtar, and Tamla Kari.
The Job Lot is a Big Talk Production, written by Midlands based writing team Claire Downes, Stuart Lane and Ian Jarvis. The first series was produced by Kenton Allen and Hannah Pescod.
Vicious and The Job Lot are the highest rating new half-hour scripted comedies of the year, based on completed series average.
A thoroughly modern comedy in an ancient setting, Marcus, Stylax and Grumio will be back on ITV2 for a second series of the award-winning Plebs.
Tom Rosenthal, Joel Fry and Ryan Sampson are the three desperate young men from the suburbs trying to get laid, hold down jobs and climb the social ladder in the big city – a city that just happens to be Ancient Rome.
The series also stars Doon Mackichan as the boys’ ruthless boss, Flavia.
Plebs is a RISE films production, written by Sam Leifer and Tom Basden, produced by Teddy Leifer, executive produced by Caroline Leddy.
ITV’s Director of Digital Channels and Acquisitions, Angela Jain said,
“First Plebs and now The Job Lot. Both shows have incredible talent on and off screen and are an important part of ITV2’s on-going commitment to comedy.”
Other comedies, forthcoming, and in production for ITV include:
Pat & Cabbage
A brand new comedy for ITV that shows life begins at 60. With Pat suddenly widowed and Cabbage newly divorced, they find themselves single for the first time in decades. Barbara Flynn (Pat) and Cherie Lunghi (Cabbage) lead the cast as the friends with new found freedom, exploring new adventures, in a series about family and friendship. Diane Morgan, Rosie Cavaliero, Marcus Garvey, Tom Turner and Peter Davison also star. Pat & Cabbage is a RED Production Company production for ITV.
Edge of Heaven
A new comedy drama from Hartswood Films, which charts life at Margate’s finest, and indeed only, 1980s inspired B&B. The series follows the organised chaos of the Taylor-Chatterjee family – Wham! loving Judy runs the Edge Of Heaven guesthouse which is also home to her black pudding breakfast enthusiast husband Tandeep and her two grown up kids – loser in love Alfie and his de-mobbed soldier sister, Ann-Marie. Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners) leads the cast as Alfie.
Birds of a Feather
The original Essex girls Sharon, Tracey and Dorien are back, with a new series set to air on ITV. Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran have penned the new series, with Gary Lawson and John Phelps. Birds of A Feather is a co-production between Retort, FremantleMedia UK’s scripted comedy label, and QuirkyMedia for ITV.
Benidorm
ITV’s award-winning, ensemble cast comedy returns to the Solana Resort for a sixth series. Benidorm is a Tiger Aspect production for ITV.
