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TV1 orders Aussie sitcom for pay-TV

TV1, an Australian joint-venture cabsat channel uniting Sony Pictures International Television, Paramount Studios and Universal Studios, has ordered an original half-hour comedy.

Jigsaw Entertainment will produce the show, described only as a “narrative comedy” by TV1 ceo Peter Hudson, exclusively for the pay channel, which goes out on Foxtel and Austar pay platforms.

Claiming that “there isn’t much narrative comedy around” in Australia, Hudson said the new show “will benefit from an extensive script development process.”

“We’re very encouraged at the readiness of TV1 to work with the independent sector,” added Jigsaw ceo Nick Murray. “Our team has huge experience in comedy and drama and we see this as an opportunity to bring together these elements to create a unique comedy series for TV1.”

Though the TV1 network relies for its laughs mostly on imports from its US parents, such as Seinfeld, Frasier and Just Shoot Me, the Jigsaw commission is not the channel’s first original comedy.

TV1 has previously aired Australian productions including two series of the Tim Ferguson/Marc Gracie comedy Shock Jock, produced by Mockingbird and Mondayitis Productions, as well as two series of the variety programme The Bob Downe Show from Red Heart Productions.

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