Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s BAFTA-winning sitcom “Fleabag” is set to return to BBC Three and Amazon Prime Video in 2019, the show’s creator and star announced Friday.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Intl. Television Festival, Waller-Bridge said: “Series 2 will be a whole new adventure and I’m beyond thrilled to be coming back.” She originally confirmed plans for a second season in March.
“The first season of ‘Fleabag’ introduced audiences to the brilliant and rebellious voice of Phoebe Waller-Bridge,” said Joe Lewis, head of comedy, drama and VR at Amazon Studios in a statement. “She’s one of the best and most dynamic showrunners in TV today and we’re so excited to bring a new season of the smart and hilarious ‘Fleabag’ to customers soon.”
The international hit comedy, which was adapted from Waller-Bridge’s award-winning stage play, was nominated for six BAFTA Television Awards in May, with Waller-Bridge beating out her co-star Olivia Colman to win for best female performance in a comedy program.
The actress and writer will next be seen opposite Margot Robbie and Domnhall Gleeson in Simon Curtis’ biopic of “Winnie the Pooh” author A.A. Milne, “Goodbye Christopher Robin,” and is currently shooting LucasFilm’s untitled Han Solo “Star Wars” film. She also wrote and is executive producer on BBC America’s 2018 thriller series “Killing Eve,” starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, which began shooting in Europe this week.
“’Fleabag’ signaled the arrival of a hugely distinctive writer with the mesmerizing performing talent to match,” said Shane Allen, controller of comedy at the BBC, who was in conversation with Waller-Bridge in Edinburgh on a panel discussing the show’s creation. “Phoebe’s career has shot up like a firework display in the last year, and the show has been rightly hailed as a modern classic. It’ll be thrilling to see where she takes the character in the next series.”
The first season introduced the dry-witted, angry, cash-strapped, grief-riddled, porn-watching title character played by Waller-Bridge, a young woman trying to cope with life in London while coming to terms with a recent tragedy. It co-starred BAFTA-winner Colman alongside Brett Gelman, Bill Paterson, Hugh Dennis, Hugh Skinner, Jamie Demetriou, Jenny Rainsford and Sian Clifford.
The comedy debuted on BBC Three, the broadcaster’s online channel, in July 2016. Amazon acquired it for Amazon Prime Video in May last year, ahead of its BBC bow, and launched it on the streaming service in September.
“Fleabag” is produced by Two Brothers Pictures in association with DryWrite for the BBC. Waller-Bridge executive produces alongside Jack and Harry Williams. Lydia Hampson is the series producer.
The new season was commissioned for BBC Three by Damian Kavanagh, controller of BBC Three, alongside Allen. Kate Daughton is the commissioning editor.
All3media International is handling worldwide sales.
Source: variety.com – Fleabag set to return to BBC, Amazon 2019
