BBC orders second series of Extras with HBO on board

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 17-Aug-05, 11:00

LONDON - The BBC has commissioned a second series of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's 'Extras', after an episode starring Hollywood actor Samuel L Jackson, was leaked on to the internet, prompting a BBC investigation.

Roly Keating, controller of BBC Two, said that 'Extras' summed up everything BBC Two comedy stands for -- brilliant scripts, superb observation, subtle and sometimes very black humour.

"I'm thrilled that Ricky and Stephen will be making a second series and that the audience will be able to share more of Andy and Maggie's excruciating experiences in the world of showbiz. We've discussed ideas for the new series and the potential is huge."

Gervais joked that the commissioning was something of a relief having already promised jobs and booked a studio.

"It's a good job the BBC offered us a second series, Stephen and I had already booked the studio and promised about 30 actors a job. Mind you, we'd done that before the first series had been commissioned too."

In an deal brokered by BBC Worldwide in the US, HBO has already taken up its option to co-produce a second series of 'Extras' with the BBC before US transmission of the first series. The first series of 'Extras' is due to transmit on HBO from September 25 2005.

Gervais and writing partner Stephen followed up the award-winning 'The Office' with 'Extras', which sees them play a bit-part actor and his agent. Gervais' character encounters various star actors, such as Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller, who agreed to send up their public personas.

People were able to download tomorrow night's episode, featuring 'Pulp Fiction' star Jackson, from a Swedish website but it was quickly taken down according to the BBC.

A spokeswoman said the BBC took any infringement of copyright seriously and was now investigating.

It is possible that someone obtained a review copy on DVD and copied the episode to a computer.

The corporation took action when the first episode in the new series of 'Doctor Who' was posted on an internet site three weeks ahead of its first broadcast on BBC One.

It said a man was tracked down by its partner in the show, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and sacked from his job.

The problem of copyrighted material appearing on video download sites is not just limited to television shows. Film studios are also worried about the impact on new releases as movies begin to appear on the web before their theatrical release.

This year's blockbuster movie 'Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith' was available on the internet on the day of its release in May. A US consulting firm estimated that this could cost the studio around £342m.

The BBC could in future derive profits from selling programme downloads and advertising on its website to overseas users only, when technology allows access to domestic users to be closed off.

Ashley Highfield, director of new media and technology, said in an interview with The Guardian in June that the BBC now has such technology.

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