The Johnny Vegas sitcom Ideal has been given a second series by BBC chiefs.

The BBC3 comedy, in which the comic played shabby small-scale drugs dealer Moz, is to return for

It will again be written by Graham Duff and Tony Burgess, and made by Comedy North, the unit the corporation set up in Manchester to develop local talent for the screen, and Steve Coogan’s production house, Baby Cow.

Announcing the commission, BBC3 controller Stuart Murphy said: "Ideal has been our highest-rating original comedy since Little Britain and has given Comedy North a hit show in only their first year.”

In another new commission announced yesterday, comedian Robin Ince is to present The Trouble With Old People, one of three new shows in the documentary strand. Stand-up-turned-broadcaster Simon Fanshawe is doing another, The Trouble With Gay Men.

Murphy added: “The new series of The Trouble With... continues the channel's emerging tradition of topical and thought-provoking factual programmes."

Meanwhile, Johnny Vegas’s new Friday night Channel 4 show will launch later this month. Click here for an interview with him.