Black Dog Television is an independent television production company founded by three writer/producers, Dan Gaster, Paul Powell and Will Ing, each of whom has over 20 years’ experience working in comedy and entertainment.
They devised and co-produced the BBC2 panel show Insert Name Here hosted by Sue Perkins which is now into its fourth series. For Dave they devised and co-produced two series of the panel show Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask.
They created and wrote two series of the fantasy sitcom, Zapped, originally broadcast in October 2016.
They continue to develop sitcom scripts, panel shows and factual entertainment formats.
Their many credits as writers, script editors and producers include:
Have I Got News For You, The Graham Norton Show, Miranda, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Top Gear, Al Murray’s Happy Hour, Mock the Week and Would I Lie To You.
Dan, Paul & Will
Dan, Paul and Will all started their careers as writer/performers. They first collaborated on the seminal Radio 4 show, Weekending and went on to write and star in several of their own radio shows.
Dan and Paul wrote and performed in two series of their sketch show, We Know Everything.
Dan and Will wrote and performed, together with Ben Silburn, a self-titled sketch show, The Curried Goat Radio Show, for Radio 2 and still heard from time to time on Radio 4 Extra.
In 1998 Dan, Will and Paul, together with Ben Silburn, wrote and performed a topical series for ITV1 called Stuff The Week.
As well as developing, writing and producing projects for Black Dog, Dan, Will and Paul continue to write for a huge variety of television programmes. Here’s a bit more information about them:
Dan Gaster
Dan has been writing, performing and producing comedy since 1992.
Dan has written for many comedy entertainment shows including Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie to You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, A League of Their Own, Mock the Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, 10 O’Clock Live, The Last Leg and eighteen series of The Graham Norton Show.
Script writing credits include Life of Riley (BBC1), The Thick of It (BBC2), Pramface (BBC3), Scream Street (CBBC) as well as sketches for That Mitchell and Webb Look, Spitting Image, 2DTV and Newzoids.
On the radio, Dan writes The Unbelievable Truth and has occasionally appeared on other radio shows including Armando Ianucci’s Charm Offensive.
Paul Powell
Paul has been writing/producing comedy since 1991.
Television credits include Miranda, Spitting Image, It’ll Be Alright On The Night and three series of Life of Riley. Radio credits include The Now Show, The Griff Rhys Jones Show, and It’s Your Round (starring Angus Deayton).
Paul has written for a number of large-scale live events including Miranda Hart’s ‘My, What I Call, Live Show’, the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute and the Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace.
He’s picked up a Comedy Award for Al Murray’s Happy Hour, an RTS award for Miranda, and the title of 39th greatest comedy sketch for ‘Saying Goodbye’ from Smack The Pony.
He’s a non-executive director of the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society and co-wrote the best-selling ‘Top Gear: Alternative Highway Code’.
Will Ing
Will has worked as a writer, script editor and producer for twenty years.
Having started out working on the classic satirical show Spitting Image, he has written for almost everyone under the sun, from John Cleese to Ant and Dec and his credits include Have I Got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Stand Up For The Week, Live At The Apollo and Would I Lie To You.
On the radio he has worked as a writer and script editor on many shows including The Now Show, It’s a Fair Cop with Alfie Moore, Look Away Now and The Curried Goat Radio Show in which he performed.
He has also written for numerous kids’ shows such as Zoo Factor, Hank Zipzer, Millie Inbetween, Operation Ouch and the Bafta-nominated Officially Amazing.
In a former life he was also a teacher, a stand-up and a very occasional actor.
Yes, it is his real name.
BLACK DOG NEWS
2021
Zapped Goes Live On BBC iPlayer
2020
Bird | Black Dog Television develop dark new sitcom starring Angela Barnes
Insert Name Here | Series 4 comes to Dave
Zapped makes its US Debut
Black Dog Television To develop occult crime series ‘WYCHWOOD’
2019
Insert Name Here – Hits Dave
2018
Insert Name Here – Series Four
Eight episodes of the comedy panel show hosted by Sue Perkins with team captains Josh Widdicombe and Richard Osman. Starting with a Christmas Special and continuing into the New Year. Co-produced with 12 Yard Productions.
Zapped – Series Three
Fantasy sitcom broadcast on Dave, starring James Buckley, Paul Kaye, Sharon Rooney, Ken Collard and Louis Emerick. Co-produced with Baby Cow Productions. You can watch it here and follow it on Facebook
You can watch it here and follow it on Facebook
2017
Insert Name Here – Series Three
Third series of the comedy panel show hosted by Sue Perkins with team captains Josh Widdicombe and Richard Osman. Eight episodes starting November 2017 including a Christmas Special. Co-produced with 12 Yard Productions.
Zapped – Series Two
Fantasy sitcom broadcast on Dave, starring James Buckley, Paul Kaye, Sharon Rooney, Ken Collard and Louis Emerick. Co-produced with Baby Cow Productions. You can watch it here and follow it on Facebook
2016
Zapped
Fantasy sitcom broadcast on Dave, starring James Buckley, Paul Kaye, Sharon Rooney, Ken Collard and Louis Emerick. Co-produced with Baby Cow Productions. You can watch it here and follow it on Facebook
Reviews
‘great one liners with almost Pythonesque moments’ – Radio Times
‘amusing in the old fashioned silly way where characters actually say and do funny things’ – Sunday Times
‘laugh-out-loud jokes… splendid cast’ – Daily Mirror
Insert Name Here – Series Two
Second series of the comedy panel show hosted by Sue Perkins with team captains Josh Widdicombe and Richard Osman. A Christmas Special will be broadcast at the end of 2016 with a brand new series following from January 2017. Co-produced with 12 Yard Productions.
Be Not Afraid
Second sitcom script. Commissioned by Channel 4.
Insert Name Here – Series One
Comedy panel show hosted by Sue Perkins with team captains Richard Osman and Josh Widdicombe. Co-produced with 12 Yard Productions.
Reviews
‘pretty close to the panel-show holy grail’ – The Times
‘sure to make a name for itself’ – Daily Express
2015
Be Not Afraid
Pilot sitcom script. Commissioned by Channel 4.
2013
Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask – Series Two
Second series of the comedy quiz presented by Alexander Armstrong and starring a host of top comedians including Russell Kane, Jack Whitehall, Jo Brand, Jason Manford, Susan Calman, Stephen Mangan and Clive Anderson. Six part series for Dave. Co-produced with So Television.
2012
Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask – Series One
Comedy quiz presented by Alexander Armstrong with Dave Lamb and featuring a host of top comedians including Jimmy Carr, Graham Norton, Ed Byrne, Russell Kane and Mark Watson. Six part series for Dave. Co-produced with So Television.
And You Are?
Comedy quiz show hosted by Miranda Hart featuring Dara O’Brian, Lee Mack and Hugh Dennis. Non-broadcast pilot for BBC1. Co-produced with BBC Comedy.
2011
Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask – Bank Holiday Special
Comedy quiz presented by Alexander Armstrong featuring Dave Lamb. Starring Robert Webb, Katy Brand and Griff Rhys-Jones. Broadcast special for Dave/UKTV. Co-produced with So Television.
2009
Public Enemy Number One
Topical comedy show presented by Eamonn Holmes and starring Richard Bacon, Rufus Hound, Bob Mills and Anna Richardson. Pilot script for ITV1. Co-produced with ITV Studios.
2008
Spongeheads
Topical puppet show voiced by Rufus Hound and Dave Lamb with Katherine Jakeways and Jon Holmes. Pilot for BBC3.
Favourite Worst Nightmare
A panel show about dilemmas, hosted by Rufus Hound, with songs and music from Phil Nicol. Panelists Rhod Gilbert, Andrew Maxwell and Kirsten O’Brien. Pilot for five. Co-produced with Talkback Thames.