Sky has announced COMEDY BITES, a series of brilliantly original shorts set in Ireland from six comedy stars, including Jason Byrne, Katherine Ryan and Al Porter. The six shorts will all be exclusively available via Sky’s On Demand service from Saturday 4th June and will be premiered at the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival on the same day. Every episode will also air on Sky Arts later in June.
Following the success of Sky’s Christmas Comedy Shorts, which were made with some of the most exciting talent to come out of Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year, a second series of comedy shorts were commissioned by Jon Mountague and Morwenna Gordon. This time around, Ireland is the focus.
This season of COMEDY BITES includes shorts from Jason Byrne – Edinburgh Fringe Festival stalwart and star of Sky 1 series Wild Things – and Katherine Ryan, Canadian/ Irish comedian and panellist on Sky 1 Bring the Noise. In addition, some of the best rising stars of the comedy circuit Seann Walsh, Al Porter, Alison Spittle and Dublin sketch group A Diet of Worms also have created their very own homages to the Emerald Isle.
The announcement of the Ireland-themed COMEDY BITES series is the latest example of Sky’s commitment to programming in Ireland, following all three seasons of the Sky Atlantic gothic drama Penny Dreadful filmed entirely in Dublin and Wicklow, in addition to Sky 1’s International Emmy Winning series 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy and Moone Boy, and Sky Arts Amplify funded Enda Walsh opera The Last Hotel.
Jon Mountague, Head of Sky Comedy, said “Sky Comedy is thrilled to continue our comic shorts seasons. We’ve had terrific feedback from customers and Sky On Demand is a brilliant platform on which to share some of the most exciting comic brains in Britain and Ireland.”
Julia Barry, Sky Director of On Demand, said “Following on from the success of our Christmas shorts, we’re delighted to be supporting another season of bite-sized comedies for On Demand. It’s a great opportunity to support up and coming talent as well as some brilliant established names.”
Jason Byrne said “I’m like a kid with a new toy, so excited to be working with Merman, ecstatic about working with Sharon Horgan and icing on the cake, Amy Huberman playing the wife. Thank you The Man in the Sky, or sorry… the people at Sky.”
The COMEDY BITES series includes:
Comedy Bites Presents Jason Byrne in Ireland
‘The Rug’: Andrew (Jason Byrne) and his wife Helen (Amy Huberman) steal a rug from a store on a spur of the moment decision. Their actions turn their very simple honest lives into hell…
Starring – Jason Byrne, Amy Huberman and Sean Flanagan
Directed by – Richard Pengelley
Production Company – Merman
Comedy Bites Presents Diet of Worms in Ireland
The Kavanaghs were once Ireland’s most famous quintuplets. After a series of rows they drifted into obscurity, but have been persuaded to reunite for a morning TV show.
Directed by – George Kane Production Company – Big Talk
Comedy Bites Presents Al Porter in Ireland
Al Porter, the Karaoke King, lives at home with his Nana. But now he’s got an agent, are his fortunes about to change?
Starring – Al Porter, Pauline McLynn and Garry Mountaine
Directed by – Joe Fraser
Production Company – Baby Cow
Comedy Bites Presents Katherine Ryan in Ireland
Katherine travels to Ireland to attend her nephew’s Christening. Being Canadian, a single mother and an atheist, her Irish family pray for her.
Starring – Katherine Ryan, Kerrie Ryan, Michael Fenton Stevens , Marcia Warren, Tom Knight and Isabella Aleppo
Directed by – Katy Brand
Production Company – Merman
Comedy Bites Presents Alison Spittle in Ireland
A glimpse into a modern Irish hen night, set in the ladies’ loo of a nightclub.
Starring – Alison Spittle, Andrea Farrell and Clare Monnelly
Directed by – Joe Fraser
Production Company – Baby Cow
Comedy Bites Presents Seann Walsh in Ireland
Robin, a burnt-out actor, takes a trip to the Irish seaside resort of Bray to detox. However, he soon bumps into his Irish cousin Fred, who steers him off course…
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