Armando Iannucci returns to the BBC

[stonemason]

From BBC's Press Site

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/03_march/28/iannunci.shtml

Award winning performer, writer, director and producer Armando Iannucci is to return to the BBC on an exclusive two year deal.

Best known as the creator of Alan Partridge, Friday Night Armistice and The Day Today, Armando will work closely with Jon Plowman, Head of Comedy Entertainment, to develop and produce a wide range of projects.

As well as working on his trademark contemporary political comedy, Armando will be given the creative freedom and space to develop ideas that include comedy but could also stray into other programme areas, including current affairs and arts for BBC ONE, BBC TWO, BBC THREE and BBC FOUR.

Armando will also write and present some projects, as well as producing and directing others.

Armando said: "I'm more thrilled than I can possibly say to be part of an unstoppable digital empire. Although I'm going to concentrate on new comedy projects, I'm also keen to come up with fresh ways of developing politics and the arts, particularly music, on television.

"It's the freedom the BBC has given me to mix different genres together that's been particularly trouser watering."

Alan Yentob, Director, Drama Entertainment and Childrens, added: "Armando is a begetter of a raft of comic creations on radio and TV. He is a brilliant producer, a great innovator, no mean presenter and a champion of new talent.

"I'm delighted he is returning to BBC Entertainment...but with a licence to stray into other genres."

Armando's first TV series was the hugely influential The Day Today, written with Chris Morris. He then went on to write and present three series of the Montreaux award winning, topical show Friday Night Armistice for BBC TWO.

He was responsible for two series of the Bafta and British Comedy Award winning I'm Alan Partridge as well as its precursor, Knowing Me, Knowing You......with Alan Partridge.

[Purple Tentacle]

BEST
NEWS
EVER

[Rats]

Tommorows mail

SICK PAEDO MATE GIVEN BBC REIGNS, COLD TORN BABIES, RAPED UNDERFOOT

[Jemble Fred]

I'm beginning to worry a little about my attachment to Mr Iannucci. Speaking as a self-confessedly heterosexual male, I just find him incredibly loveable. Didn't you just want the impossible top happen, and for Yes Minister to win the Top 10 Sitcoms thing the other night, just to see his cheeky little face light up? The fact that his writing is above superb just makes him all the more a fabulous human.

Perhaps he can give me some of his money.

[DuncanC]

Great stuff! (as long as he doesn't spread himself too thin...)

[Partridge's Love Child]

Just like to add my "yay".

Yay.

[Morrisfan82]

I'm beginning to worry a little about my attachment to Mr Iannucci. Speaking as a self-confessedly heterosexual male, I just find him incredibly loveable.

It might have something to do with his resemblance to this cuddly feller:




Schneider & Iannucci, yesterday

Spiffing news.

[Rats]

Ha, that's class. I'll not be able to look at him the same way again.

[Darrell]

Schneider & Iannucci, yesterday

Haha! That'll keep me grinning for days.

[Partridge's Love Child]

They go to bed together as well.  There's a lovely image to consider.

[The Region Legion]

Is it fair to say that this is a direct result of Ms. Root fucking off?

[Pinball]

Thank God. Some quality returns to the Beeb.

<breathes a sigh of relief>

[Bellscab]

This is truly excellent news!

Didn't you just want the impossible top happen, and for Yes Minister to win the Top 10 Sitcoms thing the other night, just to see his cheeky little face light up?

Yes - I spent a lot of money voting by txt for Yes, Minister even though I didn't really think it should win.

I'm beginning to worry a little about my attachment to Mr Iannucci. Speaking as a self-confessedly heterosexual male, I just find him incredibly loveable.

I have to admit, I've been experiencing similar feelings recently. There. I said it. Having just got around to seeing all the the Armando Iannucci Shows I'm just in complete awe of the man. They stand up to repeated viewing amazingly well. Are you going to the BBC Radio thing next month? I might chuck him a CV so he can give me some work running or something when I finish uni this summer... worth a try, methinks.

I remember a while ago in a thread which went along the lines of '10 things that really piss me off' somebody ranted about the mispelling of 'Iannucci'. I don't know if anyone has the Ben Thompson book on 90s comedy - it's got some great interviews, but I found the writing quite poor in places. But what really got my proverbial goat was the fact that the twat had mispelt 'Iannucci' as 'Ianucci' throughout the book - even in the fucking title of one of his chapters (thus ensuring that it appears on every page of that chapter).

You might also notice that even the BBC - Iannucci's new employer - have spelt it wrong on the Best Sitcom website!

I know it's completely anal, but this kind of thing really does piss me off.

Ahem.

Anyway... great news!

[Darrell]

Even the bloody BBC link is a misspelling - "Iannunci"? A new one on me.

[Ambient Sheep]

Is it fair to say that this is a direct result of Ms. Root fucking off?

Funnily enough that was the first thought that entered my head, too.

[Silver SurferGhost]

Fantastic news but not entirely unexpected.
I thought that "kennel" comedy trailer was more than a bit of a clue something might be on the horizon.
The BBC is where he belongs.
The most annoying bit of The Armando Shows was always the adverts, interrupting the flow.
I hope he doesn't get too sidetracked into the production and development end of things though,
as I love to see his cheery Scots face.
Personally I hope he comes up with something similar to The Armando Shows as there weren't nearly enough of those.
Is it too much to hope they'll resurrect The Armistice?

Semi-serious question, signposted irony ahead:
Does this mean there'll be no second series of GASH then
(or will the BBC simply allow him to make the version of it I'm sure we all know he wanted it to be) ?

This might even tempt me to go digital.
.

[Darrell]

Is it too much to hope they'll resurrect The Armistice?

Nooo, I wouldn't want that. Armistice started quite well and slowly declined to an embarrassment, it would be retreading worn-out ground.

I want to see him do something along the lines of the Shows, with the monologuey style, but a more ambient, ethereal feel to it. Like the corpse musical, or the swimming businessman bits. Something that works really well as comedy, with all the monologuey, but with dreamy and interesting visuals (no stupid video effects though, I'm sure you know what I mean). Taking the more experimental bits of the AI Shows and extending them to a format.

The only person that would speak would be Iannucci in voice-over, the rest would be done through the music and the visuals.

I know it would be great and be all the things Jam wasn't. I love it when Iannucci does stuff that's all swirly and ethereal, he manages to give a very distinct beauty to it all (Museum of Lost Keyboards is another example), and I think this stuff deserves a proper chance to shine.

I wouldn't want Cecil and Riley anywhere near it either, it would have to be pure Iannucci to work.

Perhaps just as a special or something, but I know it would work and be fantastic.

This will probably seem like an awful idea in the morning, mind.

[Sorry]

You know, this could be the moment when Morris returns to radio...

[Darrell]

You know, this could be the moment when Morris returns to radio...

It could also be the moment when the government finally finance the setting up of porcine air traffic control...

[Darrell]

The Bert and Ernie thing has made me realise - it's no coincidence. The characters of Sesame Street were based on the Day Today team. Don't believe me? Here's proof:



From left to right: Top - Chris Morris;
Middle row - Rebecca Front, David Schneider, Armando Iannucci, Steve Coogan;
Bottom row - Patrick Marber, Peter Baynham, Doon MacKichan.

Mystery solved.

[Jemble Fred]

Ah, fuck it, I wasn't going to turn this thread into a love-in but I can't leave work without commending that superb piece of underground journalism, Darrell. It works too fucking well.

I used to have a problem watching EastEnders in the Grant/Sharon era without thinking of The Muppets.

[Lumiere]

Thank fuck for that. Bring on more Friday Night Armistice, or at least more shows like it.


if you can hear this whisper you're dying