A sketch show from indie Super Yacht! and a neurodivergent-led format from the series director of The Assembly are among the six shows in this year’s line-up of ITV’s emerging diverse director strand Fresh Cuts.
Say Less!, a “bold, smart and unapologetically Black British Gen Z” showcase for rising Black comedy stars, is the first sketch show to feature in the strand.
Produced by Kevin Muyolo, the show will feature parodies, absurd characters and sketches that “channel the energy of online culture and the awkwardness of offline reality”.
Céin McGillicuddy, series director on The Assembly, re-teams with Andy Kinnear, his co-writer on BBC3 sitcom Top Coppers, for Play Time.
The format gives neurodiverse actors and comedians just a few hours to put together and perform an original, groundbreaking, awe-inspiring stage play based entirely on the creative, weird and wonderful ideas of a class of neurodivergent 6 to 8 year-olds.
This year’s crop also includes shows from RK the DJ Productions, Whispering Rebel, Renaissance Studios and Different Productions.
Rk the DJ’s In Convo, fronted by DJ Ras Kwame [main picture], promises “unfiltered, honest conversations” with a wild range of guests.
Jess Mitchell, the creative director and producer behind BAFTA-nominated and Grierson Award-winning We are Black and British, is behind Different Productions’ Blind MatchMakers, a dating format where a trio of blind experts are in charge.
In Whispering Rebel’s show, Black Britain - A Tale of Two Cultures [working title], TV Collective Breakthrough leader Sebastian Whyte explores the relationship between the UK’s Black African and Caribbean communities.
Finally, in The Re-Store, from Renaissance Studios, Jordan Taylor looks at the social and cultural impact of trainers.
The Fresh Cuts films were commissioned by ITV commissioning editor Richard Botchway, who will oversee the series for Sue Murphy’s Factual Entertainment team, alongside DEI and talent lead Nahrein Kemp.
The shows will premiere on ITVX and ITV's YouTube channels across October and November to mark Black History Month and Disability History Month.
