Press release from ABC TV
In the most hotly-awaited news in television, ABC TV and the USA’s HBO jointly today announces a new 12-part, half-hour series from multi-award winning writer and performer, Chris Lilley.
Angry Boys is a co-production between the team of Chris Lilley and Princess Pictures, creators of the enormously popular Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes, ABC TV and HBO.
In an Australian first, the series will be co-produced with HBO, a broadcaster which has built its reputation by offering some of television’s most creative and edgy programming, and in association with the UK’s BBC, the home of British comedy.
Shooting in a mock documentary style, Angry Boys explores what it means to be a 21st century boy by putting the male of the species under the microscope. It will be shot in Australia and overseas locations and goes into pre-production on Monday October 5.
Chris Lilley says he’s been writing the new show for a long time. “There will be new characters and lots of surprises for the audience, and I’m really excited about having a longer-running series to work with.”
Laura Waters, Princess Pictures, says “Angry Boys will be the biggest challenge and most fun we’ve ever had making a television show.”
ABC TV Executive Head of Content Creation, Courtney Gibson says “The scripts are absolutely terrific: Once again Chris is pushing comedy and character somewhere really challenging and ambitious. Moving forward with HBO and the BBC as partners means the series will play on the world stage right after we premiere it here in Australia.”
Sue Naegle, President, HBO Entertainment. said “Chris Lilley combines a wicked sense of humour with fearless insights into human nature, which gives his comedy a universal appeal. We were thrilled to share Summer Heights High with the U.S. audience and are sure that Angry Boys will connect with our subscribers and the media.”
In 2007, Summer Heights High screened in Australia to phenomenal success, with a peak audience of 1.48 million and a 33.5% share (5 cities).
Summer Heights High has not only been a success in Australia but has been seen in dozens of countries around the world including on HBO in the USA and on the BBC in the UK.
It’s the highest-selling Australian comedy TV series DVD. In 2008 it won the Most Outstanding Comedy Series and most Popular Actor Logies and the AFI Award for Best Comedy Series and Best Actor in a Comedy Series.
We Can Be Heroes was also seen in dozens of countries including the US (Sundance Channel) and UK (FXUK), and won the Most Outstanding Comedy Series Logie in 2006.
Chris won the Logies’ inaugural Graham Kennedy Award in 2006 and the AFI’s the Byron Kennedy Award in 2008.