press releases

HIT GAELIC SERIES COMADAIDH ÓIR ON LINE AND ON SCREEN THIS NOVEMBER!

The Comedy Unit secures 6 part sitcom commission from Radio Four for Fags, Mags and Bags

The Comedy Unit Joins RDF Media Group

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Monday 6th November

Comadaidh Óir (Comedy Gold)
6 x 30 mins - BBC Alba

TX: Thursday 16th November, 7.00pm – 7.30pm (Oban)
Monday 20th November, 7.00pm – 7.30pm (Inverness)
Thursday 30th November, 7.00pm – 7.30pm (Benbecula)
Thursday 14th December, 7.00pm – 7.30pm (Stornoway)
Thursday 21st December, 7.00pm – 7.30pm (Skye)
Thursday 28th December, 6.45pm – 7.15pm (Glasgow)

Podcasts live from 9th November – www.comadaidhoir.co.uk

HIT GAELIC SERIES COMADAIDH ÓIR ON LINE AND ON SCREEN THIS NOVEMBER!

Comadaidh Óir returns on 16th November bigger, brighter and better. The comedy series with more than a hint of reality sees five aspiring writers fighting it out in six locations to see who will be crowned King or Queen of Comadaidh Óir.  This year the show’s gone one step further with Comadaidh Óir podcasts offering tantalising tasters on the internet. Contenders for the crown in series two are - Iain MacKenzie (originally from Lewis), Cailean Collier (South Uist), Murdo MacSween (Lewis), Catriona Lexy Campbell (Plockton) and Janet Evans (originally from Eglinton in Ireland).  The writing muse will be able to take inspiration from some fantastic locations. This year the Comadaidh Óir team travel to Oban, Inverness, Benbecula, Stornoway, Skye and Glasgow.

Writers have just three days to prepare their comedy sketches, drawing on inspiration from the location and it’s a punishing schedule as they take in six locations in just three weeks.  Even the bus was tired out by Stornoway and gave up the ghost in a roadside ditch!

The five writers are joined on the Comadaidh Óir bus by the actors who will perform their sketches at each location. The troop for the second series are Carina MacLeod, Alec MacDonald, Calum McAulay and Alex ‘Bambi’ MacDonald.   Events unfold under the watchful eyes of TV and radio personalities Cathy MacDonald and Morag MacDonald. 

This year viewers have the chance for sneak previews as the Comadaidh Óir podcasts reveal some of the show’s best bits as well as the behind the scenes action and footage that you won’t see on the broadcast programme.  Make sure you catch them from Thursday 9th November at www.comadaidhoir.co.uk. You might even spot last year’s winner Gilleasbuig Ferguson.  He so impressed the programme makers that he’s back this year advising the new writers on what it takes to be crowned king of Comedy Gold!

Comadaidh Óir is a Comedy Unit and MNE co-production funded by the Gaelic Media Service for BBC Alba.

For more information
Claire Hancock
The Comedy Unit
Tel: 0141 305 6627

Email: clairehancock@comedyunit.co.uk

Editors Notes

The Comedy Unit was founded in 1996 and for the last decade has produced some of the best loved and highest rating programmes in Scotland, as well as a wide range of shows for network. The company consistently delivers high rating quality programmes to large audiences while simultaneously developing new performing and writing talent.  The credentials of the Comedy Unit speak for themselves; 7 nominations for the Rose D'Or, 3 Royal Television Society awards, a range of BAFTAs and a host of accolades from many other industry bodies.  In August 2006 the Comedy Unit became part of the successful RDF Media Group.

The company produce several hugely popular returning series such as The Karen Dunbar Show, Offside, and Only An Excuse?  A second series of Comadaidh Oir (Comedy Gold) transmits this autumn and the Comedy Unit are again producing Only An Excuse?  as part of  returning hogmanay schedule on BBC Scotland. They are also currently working on a sketch show pilot for Channel 4. Their production is not just confined to television and the company now produce around 50 hours of radio for the like so of BBC Radio Scotland, Radio Four and Radio Five Live.   Along with the production of award-winning programmes, the Comedy Unit is now working with 2Entertain, the top UK’s top DVD distribution company.   There is also a talent management arm to the company which supports many of the leading names in Scottish comedy

The Comedy Unit is in the enviable position of having a pool of accomplished in house writers, directors, producers and script editors. Central to the success of the company is its approach to attracting and developing key talent.  The blend of youth and experience in the creative team has facilitated a creative mass of comedy production that consistently delivers.

MnE Television is one of Scotland’s leading independent production companies with an outstanding reputation for producing high-quality broadcast programming. An international award winning company, MnE has continued to deliver consistently high-rating, quality, popular and innovative programmes for the BBC, ITV and the Gaelic Media Service for over 14 years. These have ranged from one-off documentaries to long-running and returning series across a wide range of genres.  The company specializes in sport, factual and drama.

A former winner of the Spirit of the Festival and Children’s Awards at the Celtic Film Festival, it’s most recent recognition includes a Certificate for Creative Excellence at the US International Film and Video Festival in California, for its Documentary The Eriskay Causeway. A company with international experience and character, MnE has a terrific team and talent base and have amassed a global reputation for distinction and originality.  

The company recently produced a series of live sports programmes, Spòrs,  for BBC Scotland, a series of network programmes, Seasonally Scottish,  for UKTV Food channel, and also Your Other National Game and Songs of Praise for the BBC. The company are currently in production with two documentary programmes from the Celtic Colours festival in Canada, and are in development on an international drama series with companies in Northern Ireland and Eire.

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Monday 16th October 2006

The Comedy Unit secures 6 part sitcom commission from Radio Four for Fags, Mags and Bags

Top comedy production company the Comedy Unit have secured a commission from Radio Four for a six part sitcom written by Sanjeev Kohli and Donald McLeary. Fags, Mags and Bags will focus on the staff of a high street cornershop in their quest to bring nice-price custard creams and cans of coke with Arabic writing on them to an ungrateful nation. The show features shop owner Ramesh Majhu and his attempts to find a worthy successor to Fags, Mags and Bags when he approaches retirement. The series is due for transmission in 2007 with casting yet to be announced.

Donald McLeary has been writing and performing comedy on TV and radio for ten years on shows ranging from Week Ending and The Big Breakfast, to the Golden Rose nominated Karen Dunbar Show on which he was script editor. He has written material for performers such as Nina Wadia, Phil Jupitus and Phil Cornwell. He’s currently starring in Me Too! on BBC Cbeebies. Writing partner Sanjeev Kohli has also written for The Karen Dunbar Show and Chewin’ the Fat but is best known for his portrayal of shopkeeper Naveed in the Comedy Unit’s Still Game (BBC TWO). He also recently appeared in Channel 4’s Meet the Magoons.

The Comedy Unit produce around 50 hours of radio a year with shows such as Watson’s Wind Up for Radio Scotland and Keep Taking the Nandralone for Radio Five Live. This summer they produced the Radio Scotland breakfast show throughout July with Karen’s Summer Supplement hosted by Karen Dunbar.

For more information, please contact:

Claire Hancock, The Comedy Unit

Email: Claire Hancock

 

Editors Notes

The Comedy Unit was founded in 1996 and for the last decade has produced some of the best loved and highest rating programmes in Scotland, as well as a wide range of shows for network. The company consistently delivers high rating quality programmes to large audiences while simultaneously developing new performing and writing talent. The credentials of the Comedy Unit speak for themselves; 7 nominations for the Rose D'Or, 3 Royal Television Society awards and countless nominations, a range of BAFTAs and a host of accolades from many other industry bodies. In August 2006 the Comedy Unit became part of the successful RDF Media Group.

The company produce several hugely popular returning series such as The Karen Dunbar Show, Offside, and Only An Excuse? A second series of Comadaidh Oir (Comedy Gold) transmits this autumn and the Comedy Unit are again producing Chewin’ the Fat and Only An Excuse? as part of returning hogmanay schedule on BBC Scotland. They are also currently working on a sketch show pilot for Channel 4. Their production is not just confined to television and the company now produce around 50 hours of radio for the like so of BBC Radio Scotland, Radio Four and Radio Five Live. Along with the production of award-winning programmes, the Comedy Unit is now working with 2Entertain, the top UK’s top DVD distribution company. There is also a talent management arm to the company which supports many of the leading names in Scottish comedy

The Comedy Unit is in the enviable position of having a pool of accomplished in house writers, directors, producers and script editors. Central to the success of the company is its approach to attracting and developing key talent. The blend of youth and experience in the creative team has facilitated a creative mass of comedy production that consistently delivers.

The company’s progressive attitude to attracting and retaining relationships with key writing and performing talent is a further factor in its successful track record. The Comedy Unit aims to find, nurture and develop new writing, performing and producer talent in order to ensure that it continually refreshes its output and ideas.

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Thursday 31st August 2006

The Comedy Unit Joins RDF Media Group

RDF Media Group Plc last night confirmed their acquisition of top Scottish production company the Comedy Unit. Famous for shows such as Rab C Nesbitt and Still Game, the Comedy Unit will remain at its Glasgow offices in the Maryhill area of the city, and will continue to be headed up by managing directors, April Chamberlain and Colin Gilbert.

The Comedy Unit have been producing some of the best loved comedy shows in Scotland for over a decade. Shows such as Chewin’ the Fat, Only an Excuse?, football fanzine Offside and The Karen Dunbar Show, as well as top network hits like Rab C. Nesbitt and Still Game have been huge hits with viewers. The company specialise in delivering high rating quality returning series to large audiences while simultaneously developing new performing and writing talent. The company has recently won three pilots for BBC Scotland and Channel 4.

As well as producing over 40 hours of broadcasting in the last year across television and radio, the Comedy Unit also boasts a talent management arm which looks after some of the top names in Scottish comedy.

April Chamberlain, Comedy Unit Joint Managing Director commented, “We have been working closely with RDF Rights for a while and this has allowed our relationship with the wider RDF management team to develop. We believe that by combining forces with RDF we will be better positioned than ever to pitch the undoubted talents of our creative team to broadcasters in the UK and internationally. We are committed to developing and retaining Scottish talent and will continue to do so from within the RDF Media Group.”

David Frank, RDF Chief Executive said, “This acquisition moves RDF into comedy with one of the most talented and best managed businesses in the genre and we are very excited about the potential for us to work together to build Comedy Unit further. RDF now has a significant presence in the key genres of factual, entertainment, drama, children’s and comedy and produces content for a wide range of broadcaster clients in the UK and US. This deal, which further enhances RDF’s regional presence, demonstrates our commitment to enhance shareholder value by focusing on the creation of high quality content for exploitation worldwide, on as many platforms as possible.”

The industry in Scotland welcomed the move with Stuart Cosgrove, head of nations and regions at Channel 4, commenting that, “The Comedy Unit is one of the most successful indies outside of London and has been ambitious to grow network business and extend the reach of comedy to new platforms. RDF will give them the scale and opportunities to expand to the next level, and become a real power-house for comedy production.”

For more information, please contact:

Claire Hancock, The Comedy Unit

Email: Claire Hancock

 

Editors Notes

Since 1993, RDF has developed, produced and distributed a range of outstanding programming in entertainment, factual entertainment, features and drama.  RDF has been one of the UK’s fastest growing companies appearing in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track top 100 in 2001, 2002, and 2003 and The Sunday Times PricewaterhouseCoopers Profit Track top 100 in 2005. The company was successfully listed at 144p on the London AIM market in May 2005.

Through its group members RDF Television, RDF Rights, RDF USA Inc., IWC Media, Touchpaper Television, Presentable and Radar TV, the RDF Group makes television programmes for all the UK terrestrial broadcasters, a number of secondary UK channels as well as several US Network and cable broadcasters. It also sells programmes and formats to broadcasters worldwide and exploits secondary rights such as DVDs and merchandising through RDF Rights. 

Key shows include: Wife Swap - Channel Four/ ABC(US); Holiday Showdown - ITV1/ ABC(US); Location, Location, Location and Relocation, Relocation – Channel 4; Rock School – Channel 4/VH1 (US);  Faking It - Channel 4/ TLC (US); Ladette to Lady – ITV1; Scrapheap Challenge – Channel Four/TLC (US); The Queen’s Castle – BBC1; Century of the Self – BBC2; Shipwrecked – Channel Four; Banzai – Channel Four/ Fox (US) and Rocket Man – BBC1.

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