ITV2 unveils new comedy commission

ITV2 has released details of its new comedy show, Comedy Cuts, which has been positioned as an example of the channel's new priority of commissioning comedy.

Earlier this month, the broadcaster confirmed it is increasing investment in comedy programming by a third, with an extra £10 million earmarked for new projects.

The show, which is described as "edgy, risky and fresh", will showcase comedy talents who have already made their mark on the stand-up circuit such as 2006 Edinburgh If.Comeddie Award winners Phil Nichol, Josie Long and Mark Watson.

The first episode includes a political outburst from Brendon Burns in a mocked-up prison cell, Howard Reed and his animated six-year-old cartoon boy alter ego Little Howard, angry Australian comic Steve Hughes, and Josie Long selling of her possessions on a stall in London’s Spitalfields market whilst simultaneously telling knock-knock jokes about Sylvia Plath.

The show will feature this mix of stand-up and sketches shot on location, throughout the series.

Other comedians to appear include self-titled "openly gay comic" Paul Sinha, Rob Rouse, and Jim Jeffries, who will rant about politics, religion, disability, sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.

A website has been launched, http://comedycuts.production.atwwwuk.com, containing exclusive additional material not featured in the show, biographies of the acts and an interactive forum for ITV2 viewers.

The show airs on ITV2 from Thursday January 18 at 11pm.