BBC iPlayer’s head of TV content has announced 16 new, exclusive shows to kick off 2015 – from comedy and drama, to fashion and an “experimental epic”.
In a blog post, Victoria Jaye revealed that nine original comedy shorts will go live on iPlayer on 13 February to mark Valentine’s Day. Featuring the likes of Bill Bailey, Sara Pascoe, Russ Abbott and Matt Berry, the ‘Funny Valentine’ shorts will see the comedians give their unique takes on the international day of love.
For fashionistas, Tinie Tempah will host an exclusive ‘Private View’ of Alexander McQueen’s forthcoming exhibition, ‘Savage Beauty’ – with more to follow later in the year – while Abbey Clancy will take a look at London Fashion Week 2015.
Following on from the success of ‘Original Drama’ shorts in 2014, BBC iPlayer will offer a second series for three shorts in collaboration with BBC Three, which will see the writers and directors of Oakwood, Playing Ball and Is This Thing On? All receive their first TV drama credit.
January will also see the launch of what the BBC is describing as one of iPlayer’s “most significant commissions to date” – Bitter Lake – written and directed by journalist Adam Curtis. The experimental epic will explore what really happened in Afghanistan and its legacy, by drawing on the unedited rushes of almost everything the BBC has ever shot in Afghanistan.
“BBC iPlayer presents a huge creative opportunity to push the boundaries of storytelling and engage audiences in new ways,” said Jaye.
“Our exclusive content for 2015 demonstrates how established and emerging British artists, along with cultural organisations, are seizing this opportunity to create bold, original new work. This is a glimpse of iPlayer’s next wave of innovation.”
