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Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Series 4Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle cancelled by the BBC

The Telegraph Posted on Saturday, May 7th, 2016

Bafta-nominated comedian Stewart Lee has revealed that the BBC will not be commissioning a fifth series of his BBC Two show Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle – and has indicated that funding cuts are to blame for the decision.

“On May 5th BBC Comedy told me they won’t be making a series 5 of SLCV, and I am grateful for a quick answer,” Lee wrote in his email newsletter.

“Viewing figures remained just under 1m, including iPlayer, which is good apparently as most are falling, reviews were mainly very good, and personal feedback from viewers was great,” he added.

“But BBC Two has a substantial funding cut to deal with and I’m told the Comedy dept. is going to concentrate on scripted comedy. All the other stand-up on TV is made by the Entertainment dept. which, I am sure you will agree, isn’t me.”

Lee, who is known for his self-referential, often very dark style, first made his name in stand-up and radio, before moving to television with the first series of  Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle in 2009. The fourth, most recent series was broadcast this March.

“The team I got to work with were all superb, including Richard Webb, Chris Morris, Armando Iannucci, Tim Kirkby and regular cast members Kevin Eldon, Paul Putner and Tara Flynn,” Lee told his fans in the newsletter. “And the last episode of SLCV4 was my favourite of the 24 we made over the ten years.”

“Looking around The Machynlleth Comedy Festival last weekend I realised how lucky I had been to be the comedian that got to do four series like this.”

The Telegraph on 7th May 2016. Filed Under: Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle
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