BBC fashion comedy Spent has gone out of style. It has been axed after just one series.
Based on the life of, and starring, model turned comedian Michelle De Swarte, the BBC Two six-parter aired last year and showed promising signs.
Model turned comedian Michelle De Swarte starred in Spent[/caption]
A TV insider said: “The culling just shows how brutal comedy is right now.
“There’s no time for slow burners, each series has to be a hit straight away or it’s in big trouble.
“Spent got some mixed reviews and many critics thought it had promise, but the Beeb clearly sided with those who felt it was fairly drab.”
Stand-up star Michelle turned to comedy after her modelling career fell flat.
But she used her experiences from her time on the catwalk to write the sitcom.
She went from living the high life in New York working for brands including Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger, to ending up homeless back in Brixton, South London.
Michelle played Mia — a heightened version of herself — who struggled adapting to such life-changing circumstances while trying to get back on her feet.
She took on a host of unflattering jobs which dented her oversized ego.
Spent’s axing comes after I revealed fellow BBC comedy Peacock was also binned, after just two series, despite the gym-based sitcom being made by the creators of cult hit People Just Do Nothing.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “There are no plans for a second series of Spent.
“We’d like to thank all the team involved for bringing the show to our screens, and will continue to work with the brilliant Michelle de Swarte on other projects.”
Michelle will be hoping she remains in Vogue.
JOSH GOING UNDIE COVER
HE’S famous for playing Prince Charles in The Crown, but now Josh O’Connor looks a proper Charlie with just his boxers to hide his crown jewels.
The actor dropped his trousers for a fashion shoot with GQ magazine ahead of new drama Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
He posed for pictures ahead of his new drama Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery[/caption]
Josh on the cover of GQ magazine[/caption]
Also starring Daniel Craig and Glenn Close, the thriller is in cinemas next month then drops on Netflix in December.
In November’s edition of GQ Josh talks about being the object of people’s “fancies”.
He said: “It is weird to me. I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of that, but it’s more about the idea of anyone talking about my image, good or bad. That’s kind of uncomfortable.”
Just as well you’re not drawing attention to yourself by posing in your pants, Josh . . .
TRAITORS HAVE A GAMBLE
TONIGHT’S Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked visual podcast, hosted by Ed Gamble, will have two apt guests.
First up is Maddy Smedley, who appeared on the first series of the regular series before bagging a role in E4 soap Hollyoaks.
And then there is Freddie Fraser, who will be sharing his memories of being a contestant on the third series.
But he’ll need to go a long way to beat the stories Alan Carr has to tell since he filmed the star-studded version of the show, which continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
Alan revealed this week on his Life’s A Beach podcast how when he met his new Celebrity Traitors pal Stephen Fry, the first thing his dog Rita did was sink her teeth into him.
Even canines think he’s a man of good taste.
MOB JOB A WINNER FOR SEAN
SEAN BEAN has finally found a way not to die at the end of a telly series – he’s making a documentary.
Sean’s characters often meet their maker, such as in Game Of Thrones, James Bond and Lord Of The Rings.
He kicked the bucket again in This City Is Ours, which aired in the spring.
But the BBC One drama, about a Liverpool crime mob, might well have helped him bag his new Sky History gig.
Original Gangsters With Sean Bean is a four-parter that sees him joined by a team of experts to take a look at notorious criminals.
He and the experts will separate fact from fiction to find out why their legacies have lasted.
The series will investigate four infamous subjects: American gangster Al Capone, Birmingham gang The Peaky Blinders, New York racketeer Stephanie St Clair, and Londoners Billy Hill and the Krays.
It kicks off on November 4.
IT’S ALL ‘OVA FOR LESLEY
LESLEY got in a palaver over her pavlova during Meringue Week on the Great British Bake Off.
The contestant from Kent wasn’t surprised to be the latest to be kicked off the Channel 4 show last night.
She admitted: “Do you know what – I knew it was coming. It’s like ripping the plaster off!
“I knew I would be leaving as I couldn’t get my meringue right and had resigned myself that I would be going.
“But I was proud I had made it to week seven. Thanks so much for the experience, it has been amazing.”
Host Alison Hammond had the tough job of telling Lesley she was going, while co-host Noel Fielding revealed Toby was this week’s star baker.
DOCU IN THE NICK OF TIME
A ONE-OFF special about Nick Cave will hit screens around the same time as Sky’s adaptation of the Aussie singer’s book, The Death Of Bunny Munro.
The musician and author’s closest collaborators and peers will explore his creative world in the Sky Original documentary, which was announced today and is set to air later this year.
It has the working title of The Veiled World Of Nick Cave and will feature talking heads including muso Florence Welch, writer Irvine Welsh and designer Bella Freud.
Also coming soon is six-parter The Death Of Bunny Munro starring Matt Smith, which is based on Nick’s novel and will have an original score by the man himself.
DENISE WELCH is heading back to BBC school drama Waterloo Road as teacher Steph Haydock. Denise said: “She’s 15 years older, but certainly not wiser.
“Still unmarried but eternally hopeful, Steph is back as a supply teacher. What she is supplying remains to be seen . . .”
BBC series Byker Grove is taking a ride across to ITVX, with all 18 series dropping on the streaming service from November 16.
ITVX has partnered with Ant & Dec’s production company Mitre Studios, which owns the rights to the teen drama, to bring the series back this autumn.
