Following 2016 and 2018’s adventures in the USA, Russell Howard and his mum Ninette Howard return with a trip to Asia. The new series, Russell Howard & Mum: Globetrotters, premieres on Comedy Central UK on the 23rd of January at 10pm. The first two series reached 3.7M individuals, with the first series being the highest rated new commission on the channel the year it launched. After achieving as much as +241% on the 16-34s slot average and +172% on the adults slot average, series three and four were commissioned with extended episodes.
As Russell and Ninette broaden their horizons in the Far East, the pair’s warm, funny and engaging relationship is once again put under the microscope. On their tour, they step back in time to become ultimate assassins in Japan and embark on a more futuristic venture to high tech Seoul, South Korea to observe the rise of the machines. The duo squeeze in the gap year they never had in to one week on the travellers’ paradise island Koh Phangan, Thailand. In Mumbai, The City Of Dreams, Russell and Ninette enrol in a 5 star acting academy boasting Slumdog Millionaire protégés to learn what it takes to make it in Bollywood. On a visit to Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, they lend their hands to folkloric water puppetry before heading away from the hustle and bustle of town to compete in a rural Olympics. The journey ends communing with nature in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai.
As well as a regular face on TV, Russell is a globally successful stand-up comedian breaking Frank Sinatra and Barry Manilow’s record for the most consecutive nights at the Royal Albert Hall and performing the largest ever stand-up show in China on 2017’s Round The World tour. In autumn 2019, Russell returns to the live stage with his third and largest world tour to date, Respite. Beginning with a nationwide arena tour, the dates overall will see Russell play 5 continents, 24 countries and 51 cities. Russell has a social media following of over 3.4 million Facebook fans around the world with more followers than any other British comedian.
The shows launch underlines Comedy Central UK’s ongoing push to ramp up its offering of UK commissions. Since 2015, the channel has continued its explosive growth – including its highest ever UK commission Roast Battle which, along with Joel and Nish Vs The World, Takeshi’s Castle, Stand Up Central, Drunk History and Your Face or Mine have all been brought back for brand new seasons. Comedy Central UK also recently announced that it has commissioned a comedy reboot of the cult quiz gameshow format Blockbusters with household name Dara O’Briain as host, which is set to air in 2019.
