Channel 4 has announced the commission of two more Comedy Blaps - its online comedy showcase that uncovers the brightest new talent - from Nida Manzoor and latest Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo.
Writer/director Nida Manzoor’s Blap commission is Lady Parts, an anarchic and subversive two-part music comedy following a Muslim female punk band, called Lady Parts.
Amina Hussein, dutiful daughter and geeky biochemical engineering PHD student, wants to find a husband and settle down. She also happens to shred a mean guitar and unbeknownst to her, Saira Shah, the tattooed, leather-clad front woman of Lady Parts, is desperate to find a lead guitarist. These two young women and their very different worlds are set on a collision course when Saira becomes convinced that Amina is the only woman for the job.
Using Amina’s horniness as leverage, Saira nicknames her Thirsty (because she's reaching for that D...) and hooks her up on a date with one of the hot AF Alkaaf brothers – making her an offer she can’t refuse.
Nida Manzoor wrote and will direct Lady Parts. Executive Producers are Mark Freeland and Surian Fletcher-Jones. It is a WTTV production.
Rose Matafeo: Temp is a brilliant, bold and stylish three-part comedy Blap series from Matafeo, a comedian, writer and actor from New Zealand. Rose Matafeo: Temp shows a slice of life of a transient temp worker and their interactions with three colourful characters in the same office building. Each Blap will be filmed in a boldly different style, taking aesthetic inspiration from films like 9 to 5 and Working Girl all the way to the off-beat stylings of Being John Malkovich.
An Avalon production, Rose Matafeo: Temp will be written by Rose Matafeo, produced by Tom Miller, directed by Al Campbell and Exec Produced by Rob Aslett, Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday.
Channel 4’s Head of Comedy said Fiona McDermott said: “Blaps have a proven track record of breaking new talent for C4 and so we’re delighted that these two totally original pieces from the brilliant Rose and Nida are kicking off our latest round.”
Laura Riseam, Commissioning Executive for Channel 4 Comedy said: “We’re so thrilled to be working with these two brilliant women. Lady Parts is a one-of-a-kind music comedy from Nida who, along with her siblings, has written a brilliant, tongue-in-cheek song, which I cannot wait for audiences to hear. Rose Matafeo: Temp is a brilliant ode to classic female workplace comedies that we all know and love and promises to be shot in inimitable style with visual references and gags aplenty. “
Both Blaps will film this year.
Channel 4’s Blaps have been the birthplace of many series commissions; Chewing Gum, GameFace, High & Dry, Stath Lets Flats and Lee and Dean were broadcast on the channel after beginning life as part of the online comedy showcase.
