BBC Comedy: Making People Laugh
When you think about British comedy, you’ll most likely imagine a BBC production. Some of the funniest programming of all time comes from BBC Comedy; it has been shaping British humour for generations. Today, the team is dedicated to nurturing and developing brand new comedy voices as well as collaborating with established household names. Roya Eslami is Head of Development for BBC Comedy, helping to bring the next generation of talent into the spotlight. This year, she’s chairing a fascinating discussion with Kate Heggie, Hannah Moulder and the Rosco 5 (a directing duo of Gideon Beresford and Behnam Taheri), revealing how great shows gets made and the ways in which the genre continues to mirror the state of the nation. Eslami caught up with Aesthetica ahead of the festival to chat all things comedy.
A: Tell about your role at BBC Comedy. How did you begin working in the field?
RE: I currently work as Head of Development for BBC Comedy commissioning, which means I help the commissioners develop projects that production companies bring us at the point of greenlight – that’s when we decide we’re going to go ahead and make the show. My job is incredibly varied (which I love) and can include anything and everything from: giving notes on scripts, meeting new and emerging comedians and comic writing talent, feeding back on cuts of episodes, seeing where the gaps on our slate are and hearing and deliberating on pitches from writers and producers. I began as a development assistant at BBC comedy studios in 2016, where I was mainly making teas and coffees and fetching post. I was raised on British comedy by an immigrant dad who told me that you’re only ever fluent in a language if you can understand the humour, so to work at the home of it – the BBC – was an absolute dream. Since then, I’ve worked as a script editor and producer, mainly in drama, but I’ve come back to comedy which is my first (and true) love.
A: What makes a great comedy script stand out to you?
RE: Would it be bad to say a script that makes me laugh out loud…? But in all seriousness, comedy is subjective and so putting on my objective glasses when reading scripts, the questions I ask myself are: is the premise of the show made clear in the first 5 pages? Do I want to come back to this sitcom for the characters? Are the characters distinguishable from each other (as in, if I covered their names, would I be able to tell their dialogue from one other)? Is there a story of the week? And probably the most important: do I want to watch/read a second episode?
A: British humour has evolved a lot — from Monty Python to Fleabag and Ghosts. How do you see the next phase of that evolution?
RE: I don’t think anyone can predict what the next hit is going to be. The next Fleabag is going to be nothing like Fleabag – and I say that with it being one of my favourite shows of all time. And whilst I’d agree that British humour has evolved, I’d argue that there’s a truth and authenticity in British humour which is laced in all of those shows mentioned. Whether it’s Mark and Jeremy’s internal monologue in Peep Show, or Fleabag’s sides to camera, we like characters who tell it as it is, and say the things that we as Brits feel we can’t say. Even characters who don’t tell the truth, or try to hide it, like a Hyacinth Bucket or David Brent – end up showing it to us anyway! So whatever direction British comedy takes, I think that authenticity will prevail.
A: What advice would you give a new writer looking to break into the industry?
RE: Read and watch as much as you can! Watch as much TV – even if it’s just the first episode! – and that’ll help you get an understanding of the UK landscape. And then there’s so many scripts you can read online for free – the BBC Writers Room has a fantastic database of scripts that are on hand. Reading and watching other people’s work will only make your’s better. Then it’s about getting as many people as you can to read your script, starting with peers who can give you thoughts and help you improve, to then sending out to competitions, initiatives, schemes, open call outs. There’s no singular approach, so throwing as much force at it as possible is key.
A: What can people expect from your Masterclass at Aesthetica Film Festival 2025?
RE: We’ve got such a fantastic panel at the Masterclass – Rosco5 are a directing duo who came up through short films, going on to direct the Bafta winning first series of Juice written and starring Mawaan Rizwan and have just wrapped on another BBC show this summer. They’ve also recently directed ZONERS, one of the BBC comedy short films that are screening at the Aesthetica Film Festival. There are also two hotshot producers who are some of the best in the biz: Kate Heggie from Mighty Pebble pictures who produced the Amazon Christmas film Your Christmas or Mine starring Asa Buttefield, plus its subsequent sequel and has also produced one of the BBC comedy shorts – DONKEY, written and starring comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri. And Hannah Moulder, head of development at VAL, who developed and produced Juice and more recently Toads for C4 starring comedian Amy Gledhill. Expect an inspiring and insightful conversation about how these brilliant comedy brains have developed and produced their work, from short films to hit TV shows, and what it takes to make standout comedy today.
Words: Emma Jacob & Roya Eslami
BBC Comedy: Making People Laugh is at Yorkshire Museum on Saturday 8 November | 10:30 – 11:30
Book Your Tickets: asff.co.uk/tickets/
