LOL Marches Into BBC Belfast

Although there won't be any protests by concerned residents' groups, an LOL is about to burst into the BBC Belfast's Ormeau Avenue HQ.

BBC NI has just completed filming for a new series of Wednesday night comedy, entitled LOL - not Loyal Orange Lodge - but the text-speak for Laugh Out Loud.

Expected to be broadcast on Wednesdays at the core slot of 10.45pm - after the late news - the comedy will provide some lighter content, "changing the mood as viewers move towards the weekends".

Although only relatively unknowns have been used, there's at least one well-known face, with a spoof interview included with no lesser TV personality than the BBC's own Jackie Fullerton.

In a 'cameo' of his own persona, the presenter proves he is a 'good sport' when undergoing a grilling by cast member, Colin Geddis - an actor whose following on U-Tube for his own mini movie productions is already making a name for him.

In the edit stage at the moment, the LOL comedy programmes will be a half-hour long with occasional bursts of an hour of anarchic comedy - and all to showcase up-and-coming talent in the post Give My Head Peace era of home-grown comic TV.

According to BBC insiders the series has enjoyed the backing of Alisa Orr, Head of Programming.

She has been looking for a mixture of comedy shows commissioned specifically to find and develop new talent for TV.

In an Ormeau Avenue Commissioning Brief, Ms Orr and colleague, Fergus Keeling, who is Head of Multimedia Commissioning, said they want to appeal to those "who appreciate vernacular humour" and have revealed, "if something works very well in this slot, there's the possibility of it moving to Friday evening's prime spot".

The budget for the comic capers in LOL is a modest £55,000 for the half hour programming and around £130,000 for the full hour offering.

LOL is expected to be broadcast on BBC NI this autumn in conjunction with other new comedy programming that is anticipated for early next year.

A Dublin post production company, Gorilla, has started mixing the other new comedy series for BBC NI, Sketchy.

It will be stand-up performances by up-and-coming Tyrone man Diarmuid Corr and a whole range of other comedy sketches - also acted out by Diarmuid and his various alter egos.

While a BBC spokeswoman would only confirm that Sketchy and LOL would be shown as part of their new season of programmes insisting that "no transmission details are confirmed as yet", it is anticipated that the three half hour episodes of Sketchy are likely to air next May.

(BMcC/KMcA)