ITV has unveiled a slew of new comedy commissions, most of which will premiere on its upcoming free streaming service ITVX.

New comedy titles include “Plebs: Roman Soldiers,” “Deep Fake Neighbor Wars,” “Ruby speak Count,” “Abdulla,” and “Significant Other.”

“The arrival of ITVX gives us more opportunities to commission a wide range of comedies and provides a dedicated place for the genre,” said Nana Hughes, ITV’s Head of Comedy. The executive added that ITV is eager to showcase “a huge cross-section of contemporary, diverse and inclusive comedy”.

“We want to take risks, but most importantly, we want our viewers to find shows that reflect them and make them laugh,” Hughes continued.

“Plebs: Soldiers of Rome” is a feature-length special based on the award-winning comedy series “Plebs,” which has successfully aired for five seasons. “Plebs” is directed and written by Sam Live and co-written by Tom Basden.

Filmed in Bulgaria and Wales, the special will follow Marcus, Grumio, Jason and Aurelius as they join the army in peacetime and escape the monotony of life in Rome. But when war is declared, they are sent to the front lines and must fight for survival.

The returning cast includes Tom Rosenthal, Ryan Sampson, Jon Potting and Tom Basden, as well as Carl Theobald. The cast of the final episode consists of Patrick ElBaradei (“The Office,” “The Keeper”), Tory Allen-Martin (“London Kills”) and Carrey Conradi (“The Nordics”) )Finish.

Deep Fake Neighbor Wars is a six-episode one-hour series that will use the latest AI technology to turn Britain’s finest Neo-Impressionists into celebrities and pit them against each other. These include Nicki Minaj, Tom Holland, Mark Zuckerberg, Billie Eilish, Beyonce, Mark Wahlberg and Chris Rock. The series will be produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, part of the Banijay Group.

The Significant Other is based on yes Studios’ award-winning Israeli series of the same name, produced by Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios). The show will star Katherine Parkinson and Youssef Kokul as two lonely neighbors who begin a relationship fraught with obstacles after the intense life events that brought them together.

The series, written by Dana Fainaru and Hamish Wright, will begin filming next month and will air on ITVX in 2023. ITV Studios will release “Significant Others” internationally.

“Count Abdullah” follows Abdullah Khan (Arianic, “The Gulf”), a 20-something Anglo-Pakistani Muslim doctor who is caught in an identity crisis, caught between his religious mother and worldly pleasures among friends. But when Abdullah is bitten by a vampire (James Winston, “Four Lives”), he suddenly becomes the ultimate outsider.

This new series is written by Kaamil Shah and directed by Asim Abbasi (“Churails”). “Count Abdullah” is a Park Fudge production, produced by Hussain Casey Ahmed (“Afterlife”) and executive producer Phil Gilbert (“Platinum”).

Say Ruby is a new scripted comedy from Yellow Door Productions. The series was co-created and starred by award-winning actress and comedian Jed Adams (“Alma’s Abnormal”) and written by Abigail Wilson (“Larkins”).
This Bristol-based series follows Ruby’s misadventures and is inspired by Jayde’s years working in call centers. Rosie Gaunt-Mathieson will direct and Jon Macqueen (Sliced, Phone Shop) will produce. The six-part series will premiere on ITVX in 2023. Yellow Door founder Lucy Lumsden will serve as executive producer.

ITV has also ordered Hat Trick Productions’ new comedy series ‘The Family Pile’, which will air on ITV in 2023.

The play tells the story of four sisters who have lost their parents and pack up the family home for sale.
The cast consists of Amanda Abington (“Sherlock”, “Mr Selfridge”), Claire Calbraith (“Downton Abbey”), Claire Keelan (“Nathan Barley”) ) and Alexandra Mader (Coronation Street) in the lead. Kieran O’Brien, Richard Pepple and James Nelson-Joyce complete the cast.

The show is written by Brian Dooley, produced by Phil Warburton-Leach, directed by Fergal Costello, and Jimmy Marr Jimmy Mulville and Angela Sinden serve as executive producers.

With the support of the Liverpool Film Board Production Fund, “Family Pile” was filmed entirely in downtown Liverpool. Hat Trick International will publish the series.