Wednesday 12th April 2017

UKTV's award-winning entertainment channel Dave has today announced James Buckley, Sharon Rooney and Paul Kaye will all return for another series of hit fantasy comedy Zapped. The critically-acclaimed UKTV Original series, produced by Baby Cow Productions, will return with a six-episode order (6x40') following the standout success of series one. Zapped averaged 514k individuals across the series, peaking with 607k for episode one.

The first series saw Brian (James Buckley) grapple with his new surroundings after he was abruptly zapped to a parallel world and the bizarre backwater town of Munty. With the often unhelpful help of wizard Howell (Paul Kaye), Brian tried everything in his might to make it back home, much to soothsayer Barbara's (Sharon Rooney) crushing dismay. The series concluded with Brian throwing away his only chance to get home in an effort to impress his new love Effandra (Miranda Hennessy). Munty regulars Herman (Louis Emerick) and Steg (Ken Collard) return for more magical madness as the extraordinary clan fight to get Brian back where he belongs...

Over the course of the new series, Brian will clash with orcs, lizardmen, psychopathic Fairies, hipster blood-suckers and worst of all, actors.

He'll experience a terrifying trial by combat, come under attack from deadly stingbugs and celebrate the biggest day in the Munty calendar - the annual Pear Fair.

Steve Coogan returns as executive producer and says,

I am delighted that UKTV has asked us to travel back to Munty for another six episodes of complete madness. The fantastic cast will return bringing to life the imaginatively funny scripts from the Black Dog boys. I'll be raising a large Rhubarb Seizure to celebrate!

Richard Watsham, director of commissioning at UKTV adds,

After a brilliantly inventive and engrossing first run of three episodes we are delighted to be returning to the unique world of Munty for a full six-part series. Dave audiences immediately took to the extraordinary characters created by the fertile minds at Black Dog Television and Baby Cow, and we're very much looking forward to finding out how Brian's heroic quest to get home lands him in further trouble.

Steve North, general manager for Dave says,

After a stellar first outing for Zapped we are delighted to bring the brand new comedy back for a second season. Over at Dave we are excited our viewers will get the chance to see Brian (James Buckley) continue his struggle to get back to his old life; helped and hindered in equal measure by the fabulous inhabitants of Munty. The return of Zapped continues our strategy of getting more quality originations on the channel.

The six-part series, created by Black Dog Television and written by Dan Gaster, Will Ing and Paul Powell, has been ordered by Dave general manager Steve North and UKTV's director of commissioning Richard Watsham. Kerry Waddell returns as series producer with director Dave Lambert for Baby Cow Productions.

Zapped goes into production in Pinewood in April and will be broadcast on Dave this autumn alongside the much anticipated new series of Red Dwarf XII. The autumn also sees the return of hit UKTV Originals Taskmaster and Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish.

Series one of Zapped is available to watch on UKTV Play now.

Metro:

This eccentric and sparky time-travelling action comedy is well worth a fully-fledged series.

Daily Mail:

Dave's delightfully odd comedy.

Digital Spy:

Mix of Red Dwarf, Blackadder - and a bit of Game of Thrones.

Culture - The Sunday Times:

It's amusing in that old fashioned way where the characters actually say and do funny things.

The Times:

Zapped is an ebullient and dotty comedy...Paul Kaye has the time of his life playing a high unreliable wizard. It is fun getting zapped.

Notes to Editors:

For more information please contact;

Denize Belingy, Publicity Manager or Kerry Parker, Head of Network Communications

For interview requests please email; Thom Will, Ian Johnson PR - thom@ijpr.co.uk.

About Dave

Sky 111/246, Virgin 128/194, Freeview 12, BT & TalkTalk 12
On demand on Sky, Virgin and UKTV Play

Dave's had a haircut and shave in recent years as it grows from awkward teenager to fully-fledged commissioner of new and original shows. And it's not just comedy these days but entertainment and even some knock-out live sport.  Hit UKTV Original commissions include BAFTA-nominated Taskmaster, Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled and Crackanory, all laden with the biggest names in British comedy. Dave enjoyed critical success with two series of Hoff the Record, an International Emmy award-winning mockumentary ensemble comedy led by the living legend David Hasselhoff.

As well as home-grown delights Dave also goes stateside, cherry-picking cult US Shows including the sharp-witted and sharp-suited Suits and much-loved Parks and Recreation along with Emmy-nominated The Last Man on Earth. This all contributed to Dave's award win at the 2016 Broadcast Digital Awards for Best Entertainment Channel.

Dave is the UK's most watched non-PSB channel broadcasting to over 27 million people per month, and viewers continue to enjoy the ludicrously addictive American Pickers and UK remake of Storage Hunters. The channel continues to grow its original commissioning slate with the likes of political show Unspun With Matt Forde, Red Dwarf XI, Dara O Briain's Go8Bit, fantasy comedy Zapped and Celebrity Storage Hunters.

About Baby Cow Productions

Baby Cow Productions is a leading independent production company co-founded by double Oscar-nominee and four-time BAFTA Award-winning actor, writer and producer Steve Coogan with industry veteran Christine Langan at the helm as CEO.

Baby Cow develops and produces bold, high-quality scripted entertainment across all genres including comedy and drama and across all mediums including television, film and radio. The company aims to be a creative hub for talent and a place for cross-fertilisation, seeking the best narrative form for the material.

Established in 1999, the company has delivered its signature brand of comedy to audiences worldwide for almost twenty years with iconic characters and beloved series including Alan Partridge, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Nighty Night, Gavin & Stacey, Zapped! and The Trip. The latest instalment of the series, The Trip to Spain, co-starring Coogan and celebrated comedian Rob Brydon, is currently airing on Sky Atlantic.

Baby Cow's recent acquisition of Zadie Smith's novel, "Swing Time," about friendship and music spanning London to West Africa, exemplifies the company's drive to expand its television offering and deliver strong programming regardless of genre. Baby Cow's recent acquisition of Zadie Smith's novel, "Swing Time," about friendship and music spanning London to West Africa, exemplifies the company's drive to expand its television offering and deliver strong programming regardless of genre.

In film, Stephen Frears' PHILOMENA, co-written by Jeff Pope and Coogan who starred opposite Judi Dench, achieved critical and commercial success, receiving four Oscar nominations including Best Picture and won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Baby Cow's recent and upcoming releases include Sergei Polunin documentary DANCER directed by Steven Cantor, MINDHORN, co-written by and starring Julian Barratt to be released in May via STUDIOCANAL and STAN AND OLLIE, currently in production.

The company has several television series and feature films in development.

BBC Worldwide became majority shareholders in the company in 2008.

About Black Dog Television

Black Dog Television is the independent production company behind hit BBC2 panel show Insert Name Here (starring Sue Perkins, Richard Osman and Josh Widdicombe). They also created, wrote and executive-produced Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask for Dave.

Dan Gaster, Will Ing and Paul Powell have worked together for over 25 years. Their extensive writing/producing credits include The Last Leg, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Miranda, The Graham Norton Show, Matt Forde's Unspun and Have I Got News For You.