ITV commissions Gen Z-skewing sketch show as part of Fresh Cuts orders

In Convo is anchored by BBC Radio1’s Ras Kwame

ITV has unveiled six commissions as part of its Fresh Cuts strand, part of the broadcaster’s £80m (US$108m) diversity commissioning spend.

The 6×22′ minute original programmes will launch on ITVX and ITV’s YouTube channels across Black History Month (October) and Disability History Month (November-December) later this year.

The commissions include Fresh Cuts first ever sketch show commission, Say Less! from Kevin Muyolo at Daddy’s Super Yacht, created and executive produced by Kevin Muyolo and fronted by a cast of rising black comedy stars.

Each episode will feature a mix of viral parodies, absurd characters and wild sketches that channel the energy of online culture and the awkwardness of offline reality.

In Convo, meanwhile, comes from RK the DJ Productions and will be a series of conversations celebrating life, the arts and human existence.

Filmed in the stylised way of LeBron James’s The Shop podcast, and anchored by Ras Kwame of BBC Radio1, 1Xtra and Capital Xtra, the show features unfiltered, honest conversations with a range of guests.

Black Britain: A Tale of Two Cultures (working title) comes from Whispering Rebel and is described as a lighthearted but honest insight into the relationship between the UK’s Black African and Caribbean communities.

The documentary will be directed by multidisciplinary filmmaker Sebastian Whyte, whose credits include the Black History Month films Celebrating Black Cinema with Naomie Harris (Sky) and Just Jokes (U&Dave).

Fronted by Jordan Taylor, The Re-Store from Renaissance Studios is an unscripted special about trainers filmed inside a London sneaker clinic that explores the emotional backstories behind guests’ footwear.

Play Time, from Céin McGillicuddy and Andy Kinnear, challenges some of the UK’s leading neurodiverse actors and comedians who must put on a stage play based on the weird and wonderful ideas submitted by a class of neurodivergent primary school children.

Finally, Blind MatchMakers, from Jessica Mitchell of Different Productions, puts blind experts in charge of the dating game and is hosted by blind beauty influencer and broadcaster Lucy Edwards.

The shows have been commissioned by Richard Botchway, commissioning editor at ITV, who will oversee the series for Sue Murphy’s factual entertainment team, alongside Nahrein Kemp, ITV’s diversity, equity and inclusion and talent lead.

They come after the UK commercial broadcaster put the call out for production companies led by people of colour (POC) and/or deaf, disabled or neurodivergent (DDN) people to produce content for its YouTube channel and ITVX.

Botchway said: “We are incredibly excited and immensely proud of the 2025 Fresh Cuts commissions. This stellar lineup showcases outstanding talent and brings fresh, diverse voices to our screens, truly reflecting the vibrant creativity within the UK.”

Kemp said: “We are incredibly excited to be working with these six companies for Fresh Cuts 2025. Each programme showcases the outstanding talent we have in our industry and we can’t wait to bring their fresh, diverse and vibrant voices to ITVX and our ITV YouTube channel.”