The Stage

Mamma Mia! writer creates drama for BBC3’s winter and spring season

Published Thursday 7 January 2010 at 13:37 by Matthew Hemley

Mamma Mia! writer Catherine Johnson is penning a TV drama for BBC3 which follows the lives of two young mothers living in Bristol.

Called Dappers, the drama is one of three new pilots that have been commissioned by BBC3 as part of its winter and spring season, and is being made by Mammoth Screen, the production company behind BBC4’s Margot.

The other two pilots are Pulse, which is a horror set in a hospital, written by Paul Cornell and made by World Productions, and Stanley Park, written by Leo Richardson and based on his own stage play.

The drama pilots for 2010 follow those commissioned two years ago, which resulted in a full series of Being Human being commissioned and screened last year.

Being Human’s second run will be broadcast this year, and at its winter and spring launch today, BBC3 announced it had commissioned a third series of the show, which stars Russell Tovey and Lenora Crichlow.

Also included in BBC3’s new season of programmes is Lip Service, written by Harriet Braun, which follows the lives of a group of young lesbians living in Glasgow.

Elsewhere, BBC3 has commissioned a new series of Russell Howard’s Good News and a new comedy panel show called The King is Dead, starring Simon Bird.

Comedy includes Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show, starring Simon Brodkin, and Young, Lazy and Unemployed, featuring Being Human’s Tovey.

Meanwhile, The Gemma Factor is a comedy about a young woman who wants to be famous before she is 21.

Finally, BBC3 has commissioned Dancing on Wheels, which will see celebrities partner with wheelchair users to learn the art of Wheelchair Dance Sport, and result in one couple representing the UK at the Wheelchair Dance Sport European Championships.