BBCWW backs new Peep Show team indie

BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) has backed a new indie formed by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, the writers behind Peep Show and Fresh Meat.

Various Artists Limited (VAL) will be lead by Bain and Armstrong, who have joined forces with former Channel 4 commissioners Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni on the venture.

BBCWW will take a 20% sharehold of the indie, which focuses on comedy, comedy-drama and drama. In addition it will receive global distribution rights to all content developed by VAL.

Clarke has commissioned shows such as Catastrophe and Back, the latter of which stars Peep Show‘s Robert Webb and David Mitchell (pictured). Troni brought in No Offence and This Is England to C4 and will lead VAL’s drama charge.

Armstrong and Bain said in a statement: “We’ve worked extremely closely with Phil and Roberto over the last 15 years on Peep Show, Fresh Meat and Babylon and we’re thrilled about the prospect of new shared endeavours.”

Jonathan Blyth, commercial director of Comedy at BBC Worldwide said: “As investment and partnership decisions go, this was one of the easiest. Phil and Roberto’s flawless track records in comedy and drama, coupled with the opportunity of a first look over television projects created by Sam and Jesse makes this a particularly exciting creative and commercial opportunity for BBC Worldwide.”

BBCWW, the BBC’s sales arm, has bought into new UK production companies such as Expectation, House Productions, Two Cities Television and 72 Films in the past 18 months.