Djalili hopes Ipswich sitcom can be global hit

A famous actor and comedian believes his idea for a new "top class sitcom" set in Ipswich could become an international hit.

Omid Djalili has been working on a pilot for a TV show that follows a has-been comedian who starts to teach comedy at the University of Suffolk.

The 58-year-old, who lives in the town, screened a pilot episode of the show on campus earlier this week to an audience of 140 people.

He said: "There is no demand for this sitcom, but there was no demand for The Office or Cobra Kai. We've got something which possibly has global appeal."

The concept for the sitcom is loosely based on an invitation Djalili had from university bosses back in April 2023, to helm a comedy course at the site.

Despite saying he would love the opportunity to mould the next generation of stand-ups the arrangement did not materialise, nor did the suggestion of a reality series.

That is when Djalili came up with the idea of filming a new TV programme at the university instead.

Speaking to Wayne Bavin on the BBC Radio Suffolk breakfast show, he said: "We were going to shoot it with my production company as a reality show, but then we said, 'Why don't we just shoot it as a sitcom?'

"I told the university and they said they'd love it. So, we put something together.

"We had 140 people show up and they absolutely loved it - now we can go and pitch it.

"It's a new format about a comedian who goes in to teach comedy at the University of Suffolk, but the problem is he has to teach it with a comedy critic who hates him."

The critic is played by Tom Goodman Hill, who recently starred in the Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, while the show itself will be directed by Matt Lipsey.

Djalili, who plays the lead role, added: "We have a top class team and I am not sure how it happened.

"I was looking for the one ingredient which would make it international – and that's that it is set in Ipswich."

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