Welcome to a new year of comedy writing, as Dave talks about writing topical comedy (hence the rejection and waste), James tries to enforce good habits for writers (other jolly news) and Dave launches If Only I Had The Time, his short book about trying to write when there's a pandemic going on.

Sitcom Geeks

Episode 157 - Rejection And Waste And Other Jolly News

Dave and James reveal their plans for next year, including the launch of The Situation Room, home for James's brilliant new online sitcom writing masterclass. Meanwhile Dave will be finding out again what it's like to be starting out as a new writer as he plans the spring publication of his first novel.

Episode 156 - 2021 Vision

Dave and James look back on the closed down year - what is comedy drama, scene competitions and a little shard of light and love for our fellow comedy scriptwriters. Recorded infuriatingly three days before the BIG BBC COMEDY ANNOUNCEMENT we had been trailing for the last three episodes - but still lots to report here about BBC changes.

Episode 155 - So That Was 2020

Big changes at BBC Writersroom - they want your comedy drama scripts NOW. Plus part 2 of our fascinating chat with Victoria Wood biographer Jasper Rees. He reveals all about her hopes and successes, extraordinary confidence, and relationships with Julie Walters and the gang who stayed with her through years of fabulous shows.

Episode 154 - Writersroom Changes and Let's Do It Some More

Part one of our revealing interview with Jasper Rees, author of the brilliant Let's Do It Victoria Wood biography. 'Everyone thought they knew her but they were wrong, it was she who knew them.' The story of dinnerladies, and Victoria's advice to aspiring sitcom writers.

Episode 153 - The Real Victoria Wood

Ahead of the deadline for Dave's scene writing competition the Geeks discuss how you can learn from the greats: specifically Richard Curtis, Ben Elton and Blackadder The Third. Plus a surprisingly upbeat prognosis about the future of comedy writing (spoiler alert: plenty of positives but it's still bloody hard to breakthrough).

Episode 152 - Making A Scene Of It Part 2

Dave and James discuss Dave's new BCG Pro scene-writing competition and what we might learn from Blackadder, plus news about news - topical comedy's moment. And bonus sitcom writing advice from James's 'Writing That Sitcom' book.

Episode 151 - Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton

Dave and James celebrate the big 150 chatting to the great writing pair who brought you Drop The Dead Donkey, Outnumbered, Kate & Koji and tonnes more. Great stories of rejection (how many pilots turned down by the BBC since Outnumbered?), acceptance (yes sometimes that happens too), and some novel advice from Andy about how to sit.

Episode 150 - Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton

Self-Publishing guru Joanna Penn explains why the future of comedy lies in doing it yourself. Why we must write what we love, embrace AI and produce our own audio. A must listen if you're keen to make a career of comedy writing.

Episode 149 - The Future Is Now

Dave and James with news of an exciting new competition, plus keeping your plots clear and what to do when your main character isn't funny (clue is in the title).

Episode 148 - Cancel Your Hero

Dave and James talk to the stand-up star and top writer about her brilliant radio monologues Little Lifetimes, the Edinburgh Festival that wasn't, her fondly-recalled Channel 4 sitcom with Henry Normal and Frank Skinner - and exactly how close she came to becoming the new host of Bake Off.

Episode 147 - Jenny Eclair

Part 2 of our fascinating interview with the creator, writer and star of Channel 4's hit series Home about how the show came about and how they found their star. Plus BAFTA Rocliffe script tips, Comedy Crowd comes clean and life without Edinburgh.

Episode 146 - Rufus Jones has something to write Home about (Part 2)

The writer and star of Channel 4's hit TV series Home talks to James and Dave about the journey, via the distinctly-named Dutch Elm Conservatoire sketch group, a dramatic role in White Teeth and... financial journalism?

Episode 145 - Rufus Jones on the road to Home (Part 1)

Fascinating insight into how The Office came about from producer Anil Gupta, and more tales of TV mayhem from Anil and Richard Pinto, the writer-producer team that gave you Goodness Gracious Me, Citizen Khan and more.

Episode 144 - The Office: How It All Began, with Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto (Part 2)

A great interview with the writer-producer team behind Goodness Gracious Me, Citizen Khan, The Kumars and more - and we haven't even got to The Office yet.

Episode 143 - Gracious Me! It's Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto (Part 1)

A podcast series for those interested in the mechanics of situation comedy. James Cary and Dave Cohen discuss the art of sitcom writing for TV and Radio.

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Sitcom Geeks

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