Despite ratings slump

BBC Two has commissioned a second series of Watson and Oliver, despite disappointing ratings for the first run.

Six half-hour episodes will be filmed later this year and will feature characters from the first series plus new creations.

The first series launched with just over a million viewers in a 10pm slot, but by the end of its run, half the audience had disappeared, leaving 550,000 – a figure industry newspaper Broadcast called ‘challenging’.

But the BBC are backing Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver, who made their name at the Edinburgh Fringe and received a profile boost with their recent appearance on Let’s Dance For Sport Relief.

In a statement, the pair said ‘We're over the moon that the BBC has given us a second series. We're absolutely chuffed to bits and can't wait to get cracking on it.’

The show is made in-house by the BBC in association with former Peep Show producer Robert Popper’s company Popper Pictures.

Mark Freeland, the BBC’s head of in-house comedy, said: ‘I’m extremely excited that Watson & Oliver’s comic creations will be back on BBC Two next year. It’s reward for their colourful range of characters, their warmth and sheer verve.

And Popper added: ‘I'm thrilled that Lorna and Ingrid will be back on the telly. They're superb comedy actresses and I love their silliness’.

Here's a clip:

Published: 5 Apr 2012