David Farnor | On 04, Jan 2021

BBC Three has teamed up with the BBC Comedy Association to launch Laugh Lessons, an opportunity for production companies from across the country to pitch original short sketch ideas from new and upcoming comedy talent.

“We’re looking for individual, closed sketches,” says the brief. “Ideas should clearly be from a young person’s perspective and address themes that are relevant to the lives of 16-24 year olds and in line with BBC Three’s unfiltered tone. Topics we’re interested in include areas such as climate change, love and dating, politics, health, sexuality and sexual identity, living situations, friendship, holidays, family, school, university, jobs and money. We want to see boldness and innovation in the execution.”

Up to 20 sketches will be commissioned from the scheme, which is particularly focussed on providing new opportunities for diverse and underrepresented comedy voices, with an emphasis on finding new onscreen and behind the camera talent from across the whole of the UK.

Following a selection process, four companies will be commissioned to produce up to five three-minute comedy sketches each. The sketches will be hosted on BBC iPlayer and promoted via BBC Three social.

To submit an idea, email BBC3Comedy.Applications@bbc.co.uk with an outline of the new young talent that will be involved and their ideas. Proposals should include five new/up and coming comedians that you would like to work with and at least three ideas per talent to demonstrate the range of each individual.

Submissions will be accepted until 22nd January 2021.

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