Two of the students on the NFTS’ current course in Writing and Producing Comedy have been given their first major commission – writing for the new series of the BBC Radio 4 hit comedy show Dead Ringers, starring.
Tom Coles and Ed Amsden (pictured above) were asked to write sketches for the show after they pitched some scripts to course leader Bill Dare (The Mary Whitehouse Experience,The Now Show, The Late Edition, I've Never Seen Star Wars and The Secret World, and Brian Gulliver's Travels) who produces Dead Ringers.
Their role includes writing sketches in response to politicians and celebrities in the news for the new Dead Ringers series, which broadcasts weekly on Wednesday’s at 7.30pm. Listen to past episodes here
Ed, who studied script-writing at university met Tom through a friend while he was working as an insurance broker in the city. After writing a few scripts together, Tom decided to quit his well paid job in order to become a writer. Explaining why he thinks the partnership works, Ed said: “Although we have different writing styles and influences, our styles complimenting each other.”
They applied for the NFTS diploma separately and were lucky enough to both get accepted on the course that started in January. Ed says they were attracted by the calibre of the tutors and guest speakers who have included writers and producers from some of the UK’s most iconic UK shows including Peep Show, Father Ted, Have I Got News for You,Spitting Image, Horrible Histories and Green Wing.
The course advisory board includes:
• Sam Bain - Peep Show, Fresh Meat, Rev
• Graham Linehan – Father Ted, IT Crowd, Count Arthur Strong
• Caroline Norris - Horrible Histories, The Armstrong & Miller Show, Dead Ringers
• John O’Farrell – Spitting Image, Have I Got News For You, Novelist
• Arabella McGuigan – Smack the Pony, Brass Eye
• Richard Boden – Blackadder, 'Allo 'Allo, IT Crowd
• Richard Preddy – Green Wing, Campus
• Dawson Bros – The Peter Serafinowicz Show, That Mitchell & Webb Look, Big School
• Lorna Watson & Ingrid Oliver – Watson & Oliver
• Gregor Cameron – Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show, Fighting Talk
• Ash Atalla – The Office, Cuckoo, Trollied
The course is part-time (one evening a week and occasional Saturdays) over eighteen months and is delivered in central London.
APPLY for this course by the September 25th deadline and find out more about the course here…
Pictured are Tom Coles and Ed Amsden
