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Tag: Stephen Merchant

  • HBO’s ‘Hello Ladies’ debuts in India 8 October on HBO Defined

    HBO’s ‘Hello Ladies’ debuts in India 8 October on HBO Defined

    MUMBAI: In his first lead role in a comedy series, Golden Globe winner Stephen Merchant (executive producer, director, writer and actor of Life’s Too Short and executive producer of The Ricky Gervais Show) stars in a brand new HBO Original series Hello Ladies as a gawky, 6’7” tall web designer named Stuart, searching for excitement and romance in Los Angeles. This hilarious eight-episode season premieres in India on Tuesday, 8 October at 9.30 pm exclusively on HBO Defined.

    The storyline follows Stuart, a recent transplant from England, in search for the woman of his dreams amidst the dazzling nightlife of Los Angeles, but his romantic aspirations far outstretch his looks or appeal. Half as charming – and twice as desperate – as he believes he is. Stuart is obsessed with infiltrating the glamorous world of beautiful people who won’t let him in.

    Other series regulars on Hello Ladies include Christine Woods (Go On, Perfect Couples) as Jessica, an unsuccessful actress unsure of both her place in the world and her on-again, off-again romance with her agent; Nate Torrence (Get Smart, She’s Out of My League) as Wade, reluctantly re-entering the dating world after being dumped by the wife he still loves; and Kevin Weisman (Alias) as Kives, who parlays disability to his advantage in picking up women. Guest stars on the show include Crista Flanagan, Jenny Slate, Sean Wing and Sarah Wright.

    Hello Ladies was created by Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg; executive producers, Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg; co-executive producers, Danny Chun and Ron Weiner; producer, Dan Kaplow. Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg’s credits as a team include writing and executive producing Bad Teacher and writing and co-executive producing the American version of The Office, for which they were nominated for four Emmys.
    This half-hour HBO Original comedy series Hello Ladies about a bumbling English transplant who struggles to find love in the city of dreams premieres on Tuesday, 8 October at 9.30 pm on HBO Defined. Brand new episodes will air weekly at the same time.

  • Mark Freeland to head BBC’s comedy division

    MUMBAI: UK pubcaster BBC has announced that Mark Freeland is to take up one of the key creative roles at the organisation as the head of comedy for Vision Studios.

    This area has produced shows like Only Fools And Horses, The Office, Little Britain and The Thick Of It.

    Freeland joins from Hartswood Films and takes up his post in September, bringing with him over 20 years of experience in TV and comedy. He will be in charge of in-house comedy production across all four television networks as well as radio comedy and entertainment, working with some of Britian’s most acclaimed producers, writers and performers.

    Between 2002 and 2005, Mark was head of comedy commissioning at the BBC, and responsible for commissioning, executive producing and developing comedy across the four BBC channels – working closely with in-house and independent production teams. Series included Nighty Night, The Catherine Tate Show and The Kumars At No 42.

    Freeland will take up his job at BBC Television Centre on 3 September, replacing Jon Plowman who last month announced he was stepping down to return to programme-making with the BBC after 14 years at the helm.

    BBC Vision chief creative officer Peter Salmon said, “Mark is stepping into one of the great jobs in British TV and radio. He is a much respected figure in the industry and brings with him a wealth of experience and relationships from across the UK production sector that will prove vital for one of the key creative jobs in the entire BBC. Under Mark, comedy will continue to grow as one of the powerhouses of in-house BBC production.”

    BBC Comedy Studio is currently making a wide range of programmes for all networks from the likes of Jam And Jerusalem and The Life And Times Of Vivienne Vyle from the pen of Jennifer Saunders, a Christmas special of Extras from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, a second series of That Mitchell And Webb Look for BBC Two, to newer titles like Spacehopper and The Visit.

    Freeland said, “I am very excited to be going back to the BBC as head of comedy. I am looking forward to leading a department that has an incredible heritage, an exciting present and a future of outstanding potential.I wish I could have it both ways, as I am enormously grateful to Hartswood Films and will miss the Vertues’ unique talent, experience and generous guidance.”