Comedy duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb are making a highly anticipated return to Channel 4 with a groundbreaking new sketch show that bridges generations of British comedy talent. The six-part series will pair the BAFTA-winning veterans with an ensemble of rising stars, marking a bold revival of the sketch comedy format.
The new cast includes Kiell Smith-Bynoe, known for his roles in “Ghosts” and “Stath Lets Flats,” Mexican-American comedian Lara Ricote, viral sketch creator Stevie Martin, and American stand-up Krystal Evans. This collaboration aims to merge established comedy expertise with fresh perspectives from the next generation of performers.
“When Channel 4 asked us to do another sketch show we were startled, bemused and available,” Mitchell and Webb said in their characteristic dry wit. The duo acknowledged the challenging climate for television comedy, suggesting that “relaunching the trickiest genre of comedy is a brilliant piece of counterintuitive commissioning.”
The show represents a return to the pair’s roots in sketch comedy, following their massive success with “Peep Show,” Channel 4’s longest-running sitcom. The new series will be produced by That Mitchell & Webb Company in association with Big Talk Studios, with longtime collaborator Gareth Edwards serving as producer.
For the newer cast members, the opportunity to work with Mitchell and Webb is significant. Smith-Bynoe described it as “getting to sit on the grown-ups table,” while Ricote expressed her joy at joining “the best there is.” Martin, who began her career making online sketches, called the experience “absolutely wild,” noting the irony of working with the very comedians who inspired her career.
Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy at Channel 4, emphasized the importance of sketch shows in nurturing new talent: “Sketch shows have historically been the bedrock of generations of comedy writers and performers, giving so many household names their first credits and platforms.”
The series aims to revitalize the sketch comedy format for a new era, combining Mitchell and Webb’s proven expertise with fresh perspectives from a new generation of comedy talent. The show is expected to air later this year on Channel 4.
