Frankie to host C4 showcase

Frankie Boyle, Vic and Bob, Harry Hill, Sharon Horgan and Kayvan Novak are taking part in a star-studded two-week series of Channel Four comedy specials this summer.

All the shows will air in August as part of a season of comedy pilots dubbed Funny Fortnight.

• The Boyle Variety Performance: Frankie Boyle fronts a modern cabaret show, filmed in a London theatre and featuring 'content so cutting-edge and scurrilously funny that no self-respecting royal would dream of attending’.

• • Toast of London: A new sitcom written by Father Ted co-creator Arthur Mathews and Matt Berry, who stars as a successful actor who made a career faux pass by electing to star in a controversial West End play, which appalled the public.
  • Lucky Sexy Winners: A new panel show from Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer which, like Shooting Stars, will mix sketches with a subverted format.
  • Just Around the Corner: A futuristic sitcom from Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, the creators of Outnumbered and Drop The Dead Donkey. It's the story of a suburban family, the Pilches, who live in a world where all the banks have disappeared, along with much of Britain's coastline so their troubles are set in a 'dystopian, dog-eat-dog future'.
  • Harry Hill: The Reunion: A one-off show hosted by Harry, in which he seeks out the cast of his original Channel 4 show
  • Them from That Thing: A sketch show T featuring The Inbetweeners’ Blake Harrison, Fonejackers Kayvan Novak, Smack The Pony’s Sally Phillips and Very Important People impressionist Morgana Robinson. Charlie Brooker is among the writers
  • Very Terry: A chat show from Kayvan Novak's Facejacker character Terry Tibbs, the car salesman turned international television star.
  • Bad Sugar: Written by Peep Show creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong and starring Olivia Colman, Julia Davis and Sharon Horgan - all of whom came up with the idea. It's a Dynasty-style soap spoof centred on a dysfunctional, wealthy mining dynasty, with an ailing patriarch and some greedy siblings The programme also stars Peter Serafinowicz, Kayvan Novak (again) and Reece Shearsmith.
  • I'm Spazticus: Prank show featuring disabled performers playing practical jokes able-bodied members of the public.
  • The Function Room: A studio sitcom written by Dan Maier (Harry Hill's TV Burp) and set in a pub function room which sees bar regulars mingle with community groups who hire the venue. The cast includes Blake Harrison, Reece Shearsmith, James Fleet , Simon Day, Paul Ritter, Jessica Knappet (, Daniel Rigby and Kevin Eldon.
  • TV premieres of live stand-up shows from Alan Carr, Peter Kay, Lee Evans and Micky Flanagan
  • And several archive shows: Channel 4's 30 Greatest Comedy Shows; Best Episodes Ever, as chosen by sitcom writers; Lost Gems and repeats of some forgotten Comedy Labs, including Peter Kay - The Services.

  Channel 4 head of comedy Shane Allen said:’Funny Fortnight is a chance to celebrate our achievements with a raft of new shows featuring many of the biggest names in British comedy.’

  Published: 15 Jun 2012