Black-led sketch show returns to BBC Three this spring

Sketch show Famalam is to return for a second series, the BBC has announced.

Led by black writers and performers, the show will be back for four half-hour  episodes on BBC Three later this spring.

Returning characters include grime MC Scribbler P, the warring aunties and thwarted Nigerian philanthropist Prince Alyusi;  while new creations include woke Barry White, social media obsessed Peter and his long-suffering wife, plastic surgery aficionado Emma G, and offensive SoundCloud rapper X69.

The series was announced today on social media with a spoof turf wars video between The E19 Posse and the Stratford Soldiers: 

~~~some FAMALAM news~~~ pic.twitter.com/5ZUwHEBrLe

— BBC Three (@bbcthree) January 28, 2019

The series stars Vivienne Acheampong, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Samson Kayo, John MacMillan, Tom Moutchi  and Roxanne Sternberg.

Shane Allen, the BBC’s controller of comedy commissioning, says: "Famalam continues that rich BBC tradition of launching the stars of tomorrow through the sketch show format. 

‘It follows the likes of Monty Python, French & Saunders, Fry & Laurie, The Fast Show, Goodness Gracious Me, The League of Gentlemen and Little Britain in bringing through exciting new talent to deliver the most pioneering and contemporary comedy that can travel in bite-size online pieces as well as working as a whole show.’

Chris Sussman, head of comedy at BBC Studios added: ‘Not only is Famalam a brilliant series, it’s also a really important one in terms of diversity - as everyone knows there aren’t enough white middle-aged Jewish executive producers in television.’

Famalam launched in April last year, and earned Samson Kayo a Bafta nomination for male performance in a comedy programme.

Made by: BBC Studios production
Produced by: Akemnji Ndifornyen
Directed by: Tom Marshall
Executive producers: Ben Caudwell and Chris Sussman
Commissioned by: Shane Allen, controller of comedy commissioning and Damian Kavanagh, former controller of BBC Three.
Commissioning editors: Sarah Asante and Gregor Sharp

Published: 28 Jan 2019