BBC plans comedy writing college

In Broadcast (free registration required), Katherine Rushton reports on plans by the BBC to establish a 'comedy writing college' along the lines of John Yorke's BBC drama Writers' Academy.

Every year the corporation will recruit six new writers or pairs of writers and train them on real shows alongside established talent. Armando Iannucci and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps creator Susan Nickson have already signed up as mentors, and the BBC expects "the great and the good of British comedy" to join.

Micheal Jacob, currently creative head of mainstream comedy, is scaling back his development responsibilities to oversee the course. "I'm aspiring to be the Arsène Wenger of the comedy world," he said.