NEW DAVE COMMISSION

UK Premiere: Comedy Exchange

Brand new and utterly exclusive, Comedy Exchange is a one-off special that gets top British stand-up and broadcaster Phill Jupitus to swap places with Flight Of The Conchords star and not-bad-stand-up-himself Eugene Mirman for an entertaining comedic and cultural experiment.

Despite speaking the same language there’s still many a cultural difference that exists between Great Britain and America. Not least in comedy. When was the last time you laughed at a gag about Mickey Mantle (who?) or Altoids (you can get a cream for that). Conversely, your typical American would probably stand in silence when presented with a quip about chavs or the WI.

Not quite never the twain shall meet, but there are differences there to be explored and chuckled at.

Here’s the deal: Phill spends a week in NYC, where they’re never short of an opinion or two, to find if his act can cut the mustard, and Eugene travels to our very own London town to do the same. At the end of their week – where they will have swapped careers, friends and colleagues – they are tasked with presenting their new, finely honed stand-up routines to their new crowds.

Daunting or what?!

Channel Premiere: Have I Got News For You

What happens when you get the likes of Katy Brand, Alan Duncan MP, Chris Addison, Janet Street-Porter, Fred MacAulay, Andy Hamilton and Clare Balding all in one television studio? No? Throw in some guest hosts like Frank Skinner, Damian Lewis and Jack Dee and a couple of established arch-satirists like Ian Hislop and Paul Merton?

Still no idea?

How about Rolf Harris as one of the guest hosts. Can you tell what it is yet?

Yes, it’s the ever-brilliant, ever-consistent Have I Got News For You with more headline-busting analysis and rib-tickling mickey-taking.

Mitchell & Webb Look Channel Premiere Wednesdays, 9.40pm (from Wednesday 24th March) Peep Show’s David Mitchell and Robert Webb return to Dave with more character based sketch show fun.

Series three of the clever clogs comedy sees all Mitchell and Webb’s established characters back to talk more nonsense – the Numberwang man, Hennimore, the party planners, Barry Crisp, the snooker commentators and Sir Digby Chicken Caesar – as well as new ones like the politically incorrect superheroes, soothsayers from Pompeii and an old school copper with a sherry problem, Bussman.

Channel Premiere: Psychoville

After creating comic greatness with The League Of Gentlemen (a local series for local people), Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton are back with Psychoville – an equally dark, equally hilarious trawl through the depths of weirdness, which features six seemingly different and unrelated characters all linked by one thing… they’ve all received a mysterious note saying, “I know what you did.”

There’s Joy (Dawn French), a twisted midwife from Bristol who is convinced the doll she carries around with her is really alive; Lomax, a slavering blind toy collector who is relentless in his pursuit of the one beanie toy that will complete his collection; Mr Jelly, a bitter children’s entertainer whose career is on the slide after he lost a hand in an incident with his rival, Mr Jolly; Robert, a panto dwarf who’s in love with his leading lady; and David and Maureen, a bit too-close mother and son partnership who become obsessed with murder.

As the anonymous letter writer starts to ramp up the pressure, this collection of weirdos starts to implode, their actions begin to get ever more desperate and their shared pasts begin to unravel.

Another winner from The League Of Gentlemen team, Psychoville proves that comedy can still give you nightmares.

Series Continues: Argumental Series 3

It’s back. Dave’s very own comedy debating mash-up returns for an all-new and exclusive series with your favourite arguers in chief, Marcus Brigstocke and Rufus Hound, and benevolent host John ‘The Sarge’ Sergeant. We’d love to say The Sarge rules with an iron fist, but let’s be honest… he asks the questions, just about keeps a lid on decorum and laughs like an shoulder-jiggling favourite uncle throughout.

Instead, it’s left to Marcus and Rufus to argue against received wisdom and defend comments that most people would struggle to find any good in at all.

Helping them out is an array – nay, a veritable procession – of top comic talent. And man alive, do we have some talent for you in series three… it all kicks off with Chris Addison and Johnny Vegas, while later episodes include Jimmy Carr and Sarah Millican, Mark Watson and Jack Whitehall, Sean Lock and Stephen K Amos, Katy Brand and Dom Joly.

Argue with that!

Series Continues: Genius

Are you a genius? Are you one of those people who, after a couple of shandies, comes up with the sort of ideas that you’re convinced will change the world for the better? Then Dave Gorman wants you.

Dave, the man, is well known for his projects, but here he opens the doors to the great British public and invites them in for a cup of tea, a biscuit and a chat about their genius ideas.

Each episode of Genius sees Dave and a celebrity guest run their eyes over pitches from the public to offer their objective opinion on whether the idea is genius or… non-genius.

Should Bovril be made into a fizzy drink? Are Bungahighs (multi-story bungalows) a good idea? What would happen if the clocks went back an hour every day? And should urinals be made of steel drums, guaranteeing musical trips to the loo every time?

Dave and the likes of Catherine Tate, Frank Skinner, Johnny Vegas, Germaine Greer and Stewart Lee all ruminate over these important and potentially world-changing ideas.

UK Premiere: World Rally Championships

After one of the most nail-biting seasons in recent history, the World Rally Championships are back with a vengeance on Dave this month.

This season there are 12 fantastic races, spread out across 10 months, with amazing action on everything from ice, snow, gravel, asphalt and mud courses to look forward to. The season kicks off in the Swedish city of Karlstad, where the conditions are icy cold and tricky for drivers to master. Temperatures can drop to as low as -25 degrees, but the drivers love the special challenge the rally brings. Let’s hope they bring their thermals with them.

The season will also visit the likes of Mexico (no snow there), Jordan, Turkey, New Zealand, Portugal, Japan and, for the first time, Bulgaria. Each course provides its own challenges, but if this season is anything like the last rally, fans are in for a serious treat.

French legend Sebastien Loeb won a record, sixth World Championship, winning the crown by a single point from Finnish driver Mikko Hirvonen. Now that’s close.

If that isn’t enough, former world Formula 1 champ, Kimi Raikkonen, has joined the WRC ranks this season. With another flying Finn in the mix, it promises to be a belter.

Series Continues: Black Books

Set in a small, independent book shop in central London, Black Books is the story of Bernard Black – a man so grumpy and seething with rancour towards his fellow man he makes Victor Meldrew look like the laughing policeman.

All Bernard wants to do is drink, smoke, sleep and keep away from the general public, but unfortunately, because of his status as a high street bookshop owner, this isn’t always possible.

The only people who Bernard agrees to interact with are his oldest friend Fran Katzenjammer and his enthusiastic assistant Manny, but the harder they try, their efforts always result in chaos – dead badgers on the floor? Hermit crab in a teapot? A very weird cleaner?

Written by Father Ted’s Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, along with Dylan Moran, Kevin Cecil and Andy Riley, Black Books also stars Moran, Tamsin Greig and Bill Bailey. Look out for cameos from the likes of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jessica Stevenson, Peter Serafinowicz and David Walliams.

That, in anyone’s book, is quality, classic comedy. Misanthropy has never been so funny.

Series Continues: Charley Boorman Sydney To Tokyo By Any Means

Charley Boorman, motorcyclist adventurer extraordinaire continues his latest travel challenge – the bearded wonder has to get himself from Australia to Tokyo, following the Pacific Rim through Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan using only local transport as his means of movement. There’s no trusty motorbike this time.

Thankfully for him, his goal is in touching distance – we join him in Taiwan, where he visits the country’s largest Buddhist monastery and tries a spot of cricket fighting before eating the critters in a specially-prepared batter.

Then it’s on to the final leg of the trip in Japan, where a knackered Charley heads straight for the Naha Navy base to learn more about the Battle of Okinawa. He then meets up with 12-year-old train fanatic Tarquin, who takes him on a motorbike tour of the local area.

Charley Boorman. Back in the saddle!

Dave commissions comedy pilot from Tiger Aspect!

UKTV’s multi award-winning entertainment channel, Dave, has commissioned Tiger Aspect Productions to produce a broadcast pilot of the brand new format, Comedy Exchange.

Commissioned by UKTV’s Director of Entertainment Commissioning, Lisa Perrin, and ordered by UKTV’s Director of Entertainment, Christian Drobnyk, alongside Dave’s channel head, Steve North, the 1×60’ Comedy Exchange pilot challenges Never Mind The Buzzcock’s Phill Jupitus and Flight of the Conchord’s Eugene Mirman to trade countries, career and cohorts to see if they can cut it in a new comedy culture. Comedy Exchange will receive its UK television premiere exclusively on Dave in Q1 2010.

UKTV’s Lisa Perrin says, “Comedy Exchange is a big, noisy reality format that puts two well-respected comedian’s reputations on the line and asks them to find a new funny bone in time for a final stand-up performance on the other side of the pond.”

UKTV’s Christian Drobnyk adds, “We’ve already started filming Comedy Exchange and I can’t wait to see how Phill and Eugene fair in each other’s shoes. Despite speaking the same language, Brits don’t get jokes about altoids or Mickey Mantle, and gags about chavs or the WI are lost on us Americans.”

Tiger Aspect’s Gary Chippington comments, “We are delighted to be working again with the team at Dave on another comedy commission. We’re confident that Comedy Exchange will have the same impact and appeal as Argumental has with Dave viewers.”

Dave’s Steve North adds, “As the official home of witty banter, it’s tremendously satisfying to see our ambitious commissioning strategy evolving the world of stand-up further with the innovative Comedy Exchange.”

Set in two nations divided by a common language, Comedy Exchange is a brand new format that aims to find out if American comedians can have them chortling in Chorley and British stand-ups can get a laugh in Lafayette. In the broadcast pilot, renowned comedy genius Phill Jupitus and acclaimed comedian and actor Eugene Mirman swap cities, friends and careers for one week in order to prepare for a final stand-up performance on the other side of the pond. They’ll swap gigs, they’ll hang out with each other’s friends and they’re about to find out that they’ll have to change their material too. Filming in both New York and London, this Comedy Exchange pilot will be executive produced by UKTV’s Lisa Perrin and Tiger Aspect’s Gary Chippington, with Shannon Vandermark (Paradise Hotel, Castaway) as producer.