Netflix makes UK comedy move with BBC’s Pompidou

Netflix is on board upcoming UK comedy Pompidou and will launch it as an original series in the US, TBI can reveal.

The series will go out on BBC One in the UK and Netflix has exclusive US rights.

As an investor in the comedy, it will launch in the US as a Netflix original.

Pompidou marks Netflix’s first investment in an original comedy from outside of the US. The US-listed company is moving heavily into the genre, with several live stand-up shows in the works and comedy series commissioned. It is also ordering original animated comedy, this week announcing a new Bill Burr show, F is for Family.

The BBC announced Pompidou in June and will launch it at an as yet unspecified date in 2015. Netflix will coordinate its roll out with that of the UK pubcaster.

The series stars Matt Lucas (Little Britain) as Pompidou, an elderly aristocrat who has fallen on hard times. Alex MacQueen (The Thick Of It) plays his long-suffering butler. Bella Emberg (Benny Hill Show), Roy Barraclough (Coronation Street), Jane Asher (Alfie), and Tony Way (Game Of Thrones) will all also make appearances.

Largely dialogue-free, the series will run to 6x30mins has been compared to another visual comedy, Mr Bean, which was a big hit in the UK and internationally.

Lucas’ production company John Stanley is making Pompidou. The UK-based producer is backed by All3Media and the international arm of the UK super-producer is handling distribution. It will launch it internationally later this year.

Both All3Media and Netflix declined to comment and it is not immediately clear whether the streaming service has rights for any of its international services.