key personnel
| Directors | ||
| Accounts | ||
| Facilities | ||
| Marketing& Publicity | ||
| Production | ||
| Script Editors |
management team
April Chamberlain - Managing Director
Having spent several years successfully managing various theatre companies, April Chamberlain started her career in television when she was appointed Business Manager for the Comedy department of BBC Scotland.
After managing the department for three years - by which time it was not only a creative but also a financial success - she left to become a founder member and director of The Comedy Unit with Colin Gilbert. As Joint Managing Director, April plays an integral role in the management and development of all aspects of the company's business.
Colin Gilbert - creative Director
Colin Gilbert joined BBC Scotland as an assistant floor manager in 1975 and began writing material for The News Huddlines and Week-Ending. He then became script editor on Scotch and Wry followed by two years as script editor/writer on Not the Nine O'Clock News. Colin devised and produced the topical radio series Naked Radio and has many producer/director credits and programmes such as A Kick Up The Eighties, Kevin Turvey: The Man Behind The Green Door, Naked Video, The Tales of Para Handy and Rab C Nesbitt. After 12 years of raising BBC Scotland's profile as the only supplier of network comedy outside London, Colin left to form The Comedy Unit. Colin has been either producer or executive producer of virtually all The Comedy Unit's productions and continues to be creatively involved with all the company's projects.
Rab Christie- SENIOR PRODUCER, COMEDY
While at Glasgow University Rab' s first major comedy experience came writing and performing in the Trio Brothers Troupe, winners of the So You Think You're Funny Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1990.
Since graduating, Rab has continued to work in comedy, writing, researching, script-editing and producing programmes mainly for the BBC and Channel 4. In 1998 Rab went full time at the Comedy Unit. Since then he has script-edited Chewin' the Fat, Taxi For Cowan and Offside. Rab has also worked as a producer on the Karen Dunbar Show and the Chewin' the Fat Hogmanay Special. He writes for Jonathan Watson on Watson's Wind Up and Only an Excuse and enjoys researching Partick Thistle jokes by following the Jags round Scotland. Outside the Unit Rab writes a weekly satirical football column for the Evening Times in Glasgow.
Jill Harris - HEAD OF FINANCE
Jill Harris joined the Comedy Unit as Management Accountant in March 2002. Two and a half years on we now have a fully computerised accounting system which allows up to produce monthly management accounts (this is an achievement not to be sneezed at!). Jill previously worked in manufacturing for 8 years and is enjoying the change working in television production. As well as being accountant for the company she takes on the role of Production Accountant in all of the company's productions. This is the part of her job which excites her the most - she enjoys meeting the many different characters of the various cast and crews. Jill is a big David Beckham fan and holds out hope that he will one day be a guest on Offside!
Susan Haynes - HEAD OF PRODUCTION
As Head of Production Susan handles all production processes across the Comedy Unit’s TV, radio and live shows as well as for its commercial DVD production. She negotiates all contracts for crew and talent and oversees all programme expenditure. Susan is also responsible for organising the rights clearances for commercial sale and distribution.
Susan started her career at the BBC in 1986, working in a variety of departments and positions both in radio and television. Her final role before leaving the BBC was working with Colin Gilbert and April Chamberlain in the comedy department as Assistant Business Unit Manager. She left the BBC to join The Comedy Unit with Colin and April initially as the Production Co-ordinator before taking on the role as Production Manager and is now Head of Production.
Karen Kelly - PA TO MANAGING/CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Karen joined the Comedy Unit in 2006 as both Office Manager and PA to the Joint Managing Directors. She previously worked as an Executive PA in London for thirteen years and has considerable experience with organisations as varied as Warner Music International, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Jasper Conran Ltd. Karen is responsible for overseeing the smooth, day to day running of the Comedy Unit offices and (tries to) instil order where and when she can.
ACCOUNTS
Tracy McPherson - ASSISTANT TO HEAD OF FINANCE
Tracy McPherson joined the Comedy Unit in January 2003 as an Accounts Assistant. Having worked in a Ship Management before, Tracy finds working for a TV company all very exciting and is having to keep her "Star Struckness" to a minimum! Tracy hopes to progress her role within the Accounts Department and is setting her sights on Production Accountant if all else fails she says that she will make do as a background artist! Tracy's pastimes include keeping fit, shopping and an excessive love for Tennents Lager.
CathERINE Bird - PAYROLL ADMINISTRATOR
Catherine Bird joined the Comedy Unit in March 2003 having worked in salaries and wages for more than 30 years. Cathy's hobbies are her children, her grandson, shopping, caravanning and enjoying the facilities of her husband’s pub. As well as giving advice on wages and salaries, Cathy enjoys mothering her colleagues at the Comedy Unit.
FACILITIES
Karen Kelly - OFFICE MANAGER
Karen joined the Comedy Unit in 2006 as both Office Manager and PA to the Joint Managing Directors. She previously worked as an Executive PA in London for thirteen years and has considerable experience with organisations as varied as Warner Music International, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Jasper Conran Ltd. Karen is responsible for overseeing the smooth, day to day running of the Comedy Unit offices and (tries to) instil order where and when she can.
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY
Emma Haggerty - MARKETING AND PUBLICITY ASSISTANT
Emma joined The Comedy Unit in 2006, having returned to Glasgow after living and working in London. She has an MA in Theatre Studies and English Literature from the University of Glasgow. Emma joined the company as Administration Assistant but has recently taken up a new position as Marketing and Publicity Assistant.
PRODUCTION
PRODUCER/DIRECTORS
Gus Beattie - Executive PRODUCER, radio
Gus Beattie had been a freelance writer with The Comedy Unit for nearly six years, where he developed a sitcom as well as contributing material for various shows. He was lured to the bright lights of Maryhill in April 2003 when he joined the company full-time, after working as a commercial producer. He now manages the radio output as well as working on TV development.
Gus has now secured and produced a huge range of shows across BBC Radio, including scripted and live entertainment formats. Highlights include Keep Taking The Nandrolone for Five Live which starred Alistair McGowan, Fags, Mags and Bags on BBC Radio 4 which won a Sony Nomination, and a number of shows for BBC Radio Scotland, includingThe Summer Supplement, Vox-Poppers, Keep Off The Grass and Flipside of Faith. Gus also works in TV production and was Assistant Producer on BBC ONE Scotland's Offside.
Noddy Davidson -PRODUCER/director
Noddy began writing comedy in 1996 with a couple of sketches for Radio Scotland's Off The Ball. His geekish tendencies then won him a couple of good jobs in television, working on a sci-fi quiz and a cartoon about computer games. After joining the Comedy Unit full time in 1998 he has worked on Chewin' The Fat, Only An Excuse?, The Goalden Years, Caledonia MacBrains, Street Hypnosis, The Karen Dunbar Show and many of The Comedy Unit's radio productions. He has recently moved into directing with series four of The Karen Dunbar Show pilot sitcom Legit for BBC ONE Scotland. Noddy saves all his money up to spend on pies when supporting Partick Thistle.
Jacqui Sinclair - Executive PRODUCER, entertainment
Jacqui heads up the development team for the formatted comedy, entertainment and factual ents slate. Jacqui was a delegate at the first ever TVYP scheme in 1990 before graduating from Glasgow University with an MA and starting out with Wall to Wall Television. There, she spent two years as a PA and development researcher before joining BBC Scotland to work on hit series such as McCoist and MacAulay and Ukool. Since then she's enjoyed various production and development roles for CBBC, BBC Comedy and Entertainment and Ideal World Productions, as well as taking time out to present music and education shows on radio and TV.
Jacqui joined The Comedy Unit in 2002 to work on Caledonia MacBrains and Taxi For Cowan, taking up her current role the following year. Jacqui has recently executive produced the second series of Comedy Gold (BBC Scotland) and Karen’s Summer Supplement (BBC Radio Scotland) In addition, she's been a MGEITF Fast-Tracker, loves snowboarding, video games and her decks. Oh, and she was North of Scotland Robotic Champion 1984.
Gavin Smith - PRODUCER & business development
Gavin Smith has spent the last six years working in television with a three year break in the middle to study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and gain a degree in Contemporary Theatre Practice. Starting out as a presenter for a regional kids’ factual series at 17, Gavin quickly decided he preferred the creative challenges behind the camera and went into researching and script writing on Children's programming. Credits include How 2, The Big Bang, Spook Squad and The Saturday Show.
In January 2004 Gavin joined the staff at The Comedy Unit firstly to head up a newly created position in Children's Development where he secured 5 commissions for UK broadcast. Since joining the creative team he is delighted to have been named a Broadcast Hot Shot in 2005 and to have been selected for two prestigious programmes including Media Guardian’s Fast Track 2006 and The Research Centre's International Producer Development Programme 2006.
Recently Gavin has become one of the staff producers, and whilst still fulfilling the role of Children’s and Youth development, Gavin has produced new scripted comedy projects for other age groups and is responsible for the company’s business development into new markets and international territories.
ASSISTANTS/CO-ORDINATORS
RESEARCHERS
Suzi Cassidy - development & production assistant
After working as a Researcher on Comedy Unit productions Suzi has recently joined The Comedy Unit full time as Development and Production Assistant. She works closely with Gavin Smith and Susan Haynes on lots of big and important things too numerous to mention!
Mags edwards -production co-ordinator
We are currently waiting for Mags' profile but for the moment let's just say she's a superstar Production Co-ordinator and a fabulous drummer!
martin gillon - development & prodution researcher
Martin joined The Comedy Unit in August 2007. he has worked as a Researcher on all sorts of TV shows from Property Programmes and trashy daytime television to cult animated kids comedy. Coemdy has always been his first love so he is now very happy to be working in the Development department of The Comedy Unit and assisting on various productions.
Katie Robertson - development researcher
Katie works as a researcher in the extremely busy development office as well as on specific productions such as Comedy Gold and Flipside of Faith. Before joining the Comedy Unit Katie worked at BBC Radio Scotland on Macaulay & Co.
SCRIPT EDITORS
Niall Clark - script editor
Niall began his career as comedy writer working on shows like Not the Nine O’ Clock News and The News Huddlines. He went on to write for Alas Smith and Jones and Spitting Image and both wrote for and script edited Naked Video and Scotch and Wry. He wrote for and produced Naked Radio and wrote the recent Radio 4 series Ronan The Amphibian. He has recently script edited both series of Comedy Gold . As Script Editor for the Comedy Unit he is the first port of call for new writers and guarantees to read their material and give a considered response. He sees it as part of the Comedy Unit’s purpose to continually discover and develop new comedy writing talent, a role it has consistently and successfully performed since its inception.
chris grady- script editor
Chris finished a Screenwriting MA in 2006 and submitted some sketches to The Comedy Unit shortly afterwards. Script Editor Niall Clark invited him in for a chat and since then he has had sketches featured in several Rough Cuts, Channel 4's BAFTA winning show Blowout and BBC 3 pilot Barely Legal. In September 2007, Chris was one of the winners of Channel 4 4Talent scheme Gags to Go, the prize for which was to spend a month at The Comedy Unit working on various projects. The Comedy Unit were so impressed that they offered him the position of Script Editor. Which, obvoiusly, he accepted.
key personnel
| Directors |
| Accounts |
| Facilities |
| Marketing & Publicity |
| Production |
| Script Editors |
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The Comedy Unit, 6th Floor, 53 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, G2 6TS
Tel: 0141 220 6400 | Terms |Policy | Design by Dunning Design | © 2006 The Comedy Unit Ltd
Company Registration No: SC161811 | Place of Registration: Scotland
VAT No. 659 3846 83 | Registered Office Address: 11/12 Newton Terrace, Glasgow G3 7PJ
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