Ian La Frenais to mentor North East comedy wrting trio

Jun 4 2009 by Sam Wonfor, The Journal

COMEDY genius Ian La Frenais is inspiring a new generation of likely lads to create the TV gems of tomorrow.

With his long-time writing partner Dick Clement, La Frenais was behind some of British television’s most memorable comedy series, including Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, The Likely Lads and Porridge.

Now three aspiring North East comedy writers are set to benefit from his vast experience as the 72-year-old takes up a role as their mentor.

Lee Mattinson, Kevin Murphy and Lee Henman have been chosen to take part in Northern Laughs, a scheme developed by the BBC Writers Room, in partnership with Northern Film & Media, the region’s screen development agency. It’s a new challenge for the Beverley Hills-based La Frenais, who was brought up in Whitley Bay, and one he is looking forward to.

“I’m pleased to meet the three new talents from the North East and I look forward to chatting with them, talking through things with them and hopefully encouraging them,” he said.

“There is something unique about the North East voice; it comes from the humour and the irony that exists in that humour, and sometimes the stoicism that exists in the people.”

During the scheme, which will run until the end of the year, each of the writers will learn more about writing for television comedy via face to face meetings and a remote mentoring programme, which have been designed to provide a detailed and invaluable insight into writing comedy for the BBC.

By the time the credits roll on Northern Laughs, all three will submit a finished script to BBC comedy commissioners in the hope that their idea makes it onto the small screen, they may also get the chance to graduate on to other schemes such as the BBC College of Comedy 2010.

“It’s a great opportunity, no matter what happens,” said 32-year-old former journalist Kevin, from Darlington. “I’ve been writing like a lunatic... the deadline for the first draft is Monday.”

And it’s a fair bet that La Frenais’ advice will already be woven into his script, which centres on “a reluctant millionaire who lives like a slob in Middlesbrough”.