David Farnor | On 19, Feb 2019

Sky One is kicking off its new topical comedy series this spring, which will see comedians watch football with their friends. The name? Comedians Watching Football With Friends.

After a successful pilot, Sky One has commissioned Avalon to make an eight-episode series that capitalises on Sky’s relationship with the Premier League, with comedians (and friends) watching two of the big televised weekend matches, while they offer sofa-situated analysis and generally chew the fat.

Each game will be recorded in two sitting room-style studios simultaneously, reflecting what’s going on in living rooms up and down the country – plus a live audience of partisan fans ooh-ing, ahh-ing and laughing along, while two comedians and one celebrity super-fan offer their thoughts on the game, or anything else, as the action unfolds.

Regulars on the series will include Nish Kumar (Manchester United), Jon Richardson (Leeds United), Emily Dean (Arsenal), Tom Davis (West Ham United), Matt Forde (Nottingham Forest), Joe Wilkinson (Gillingham), Lee Mack (Blackburn Rovers), Josh Widdicombe (Plymouth Argyle), Adrian Chiles (West Bromwich Albion) and Iain Stirling (Liverpool).

Commissioned by Phil Edgar Jones and Bill Hobbins for Sky One, the Series Producer is Danny Carr (Have I Got News For You, The Mash Report). It will be directed by Peter Orton (Russell Howard’s Good News) and Paul Wheeler (Have I Got News For You), while Executive Producers are Rob Aslett, Andy Devonshire, Jon Thoday and Richard Allen Turner.

Aslett says: “We are delighted to be making this show for Sky, it’s the perfect home for a football entertainment show.”

Jones adds: “There’s not much that arouses the passions more than football, so what better way to watch than with some of Britain’s funniest comedians who’ll lace the passion with buckets of wit and laughter as they watch the Premiership season unfold with their pals. It’s a show you could only ever get on Sky and we can’t wait to join in the fun.”

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