Iain Stirling and Steve Bugeja's sitcom Buffering returns to ITV2 on 30th January

Simultaneous full series drop on ITVX

“a level of expertise that clearly shows… tear-jerking and heart-warming.” - The Times

“pacey feel of an American sitcom…the plot is more ambitious than you might expect for ITV2…Bugeja was big on structure, Stirling wanted to get as many jokes in as possible. Judging by the first episode they have reached a successful compromise” - The Evening Standard 
 
“zippy, gag-dense” - The Guardian

It was announced today, 18th January, that the 6-part sitcom Buffering, created, written by and starring BAFTA-winning comedian Iain Stirling (Love Island, CelebAbility, Taskmaster), with co-creator and writer BBC New Comedy Award winning Steve Bugeja (The Russell Howard Hour, CelebAbility, Economics with Subtitles), returns to ITV2 for a second series at 10.05pm on Monday 30th January, with a simultaneous full series drop on ITVX.

Buffering follows the lives of kids’ TV presenter Iain (Iain Stirling) and his housemates: Ashley (Rosa Robson - Black Mountain Poets, Inside No. 9, Heavy Entertainment), Rosie (Jessie Cave - Harry Potter, Trollied, Black Mirror), Greg (Paul G Raymond - Plebs, Avenue 5, Starstruck), and Thalia (Janine Harouni - Stand Up with Janine Harouni (Please Remain Seated), The Batman, Modern Horror Stories) as they attempt to navigate the choppy waters of their late twenties, with every wrong decision, failed relationship and wasted hungover day intensifying the feeling that time is running out for them to get their 'adult' lives in order.

Over the course of this new series, we’ll follow Iain and his housemates as they try to figure out how to be better at life. Whether it’s throwing house parties, job hunting, dating, visiting the countryside, putting on pub quizzes or just figuring out their true feelings for each other, the gang will always have each other when, inevitably, things don’t go as planned. Helping them along the way is Iain’s on-off (mostly off) girlfriend Olivia (Elena Saurel - The Batman, Industry, Breeders) and his overly detail-driven (aka irritating) colleague Finn (Steve Bugeja).

Special guest stars Laura Whitmore (2:22 A Ghost Story, Laura Whitmore Investigates, Love Island), Emily Atack (The Emily Atack Show, The Inbetweeners, Dad’s Army), David Carlyle (It's a Sin, Bodyguard, Lip Service), Tony Way (After Life, Giri/Haji, Game of Thrones), Melvin Odoom (BBC R1’s Live Lounge, Celebrity Cooking School, Xtra Factor), Tyne-Lexy Clarson (The Last Heist, Little Women The Broadway Musical, Love Island), Sophie Duker (Taskmaster, Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Live at The Apollo) and Gordon Kane (Hamlet, Coronation Street,
In The Long Run) will feature.

Press pack with cast interviews available on ITV Press Previews - embargoed until 00:01 on Tuesday 24 January

Buffering has been commissioned by Paul Mortimer, ITV's Head of Digital Channels and Acquisitions and Managing Director, Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo. Nana Hughes, ITV's Head of Scripted Comedy, is overseeing production of this series from the broadcaster’s perspective.  The series is co-written by Christine Robertson, Sally O’Leary, Janine Harouni, and Jessie Cave.  Sam Michell (Stewart Lee: Snowflake/Tornado, Mrs Brown's Boys) is producer, while Sophie King (Disability Benefits, Swan) directs. Produced by Avalon and Executive Produced by Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday.

Episodes 1-4 available to watch on ITV Press Previews

Images available from ITV Pictures

For more information, please contact Victoria Wedderburn on VWedderburn@avalonuk.com / Tara Dein
TDein@avalonuk.com at Avalon or Gary Smith on Gary.Smith@itv.com / Janice Troup on Janice.Troup@itv.com at ITV

Notes to Editors

The full cast includes: Iain Stirling, Jessie Cave, Elena Saurel, Janine Harouni, Paul G Raymond, Rosa Robson, Sean Sager, Laura Whitmore, Emily Atack, Melvin Odoom, Tyne-Lexy Clarson, Sally O’Leary, Caitlin Griffiths, Gordon Kane, Sophie Duker, Ian Drysdale, Phil Fletcher, David Carlyle, Benjamin Cawley, Layo-Christina Akinlude, Isaac Hesketh, Tony Way and Darryl Mundoma.

Other Things The Press Said About Series 1

“It’s Iain, he’s hilarious, he’s got a new show out… the headline of your character is brilliant, I watched it, I
howled, I fell off the bed… it’s very fast-moving… it reminds me of Modern Family”
Claudia Winkleman, BBC Radio 2
 
★★★★
Mark Wareham, The Mail on Sunday
 
“Hilariously surreal experiences…Stirling set out to make a series abounding with punchlines. Yet Buffering doesn’t shy away from the more difficult topics”

Caitlin Danaher, Royal Television Society
 
“Having seen the whole series in one go, I loved it, it’s one that is definitely filthy, what I’m really impressed by, is Iain, with how you’ve obviously drawn to some extent your experience in children’s TV into this in terms of source material”

Scott Bryan, BBC Radio 5 Live
 
“I absolutely loved it...within a few days I had binge-watched the whole series and found myself frantically googling to find out if there would be another...it even manages to balance funny moments with emotional ones, which isn't easy. I'd recommend giving it a go on ITV Hub.

Ed Gleave, Daily Star

“Guys, this is brilliant, I think you’re brilliant, I loved this, I loved how fast-paced it was, I loved how it wasn’t
afraid to go for a punchline, there was some real big laugh out loud moments”

Patrick Kielty, BBC Radio 5 Live
 
“[Iain] certainly has a more thoughtful side, too. It’s something that’s demonstrated his new sitcom Buffering...The show is packed full of funny moments...(a particular highlight being the desperate lengths Iain’s character will go to guest star on The Chase) but it doesn’t shy away from the more serious ones, either.”

Rowena Henley, Bustle
 
“Quick-paced and punchy, Buffering also contains a lot of heart and characters to instantly connect with...Buffering is one of a number of shows featuring young UK comedians to have emerged in recent years as the next generation of comedy storytellers are given the chance to shine”
Ross Crae, The Sunday Post
 
“There’s already a lot of hype around his newest venture: Buffering”

Georgia Aspinall, Grazia
 
“Former kid’s TV host Iain Stirling, aka the voice of Love Island, has poured his comedic talent into this six-part sitcom that has a solid grounding in real life… one ridiculous situation to the next.”

Eleanor Relf, The Sun
 
“I watched the first episode this morning and was giggling away in the back of a taxi on the way to work, I really enjoyed it”

Matt Edmondson, BBC Radio 1
 
“ITV2 have had a tricky relationship with sitcoms in the past, Plebs undeniably their best, until Buffering, a smart, funny and warm sitcom”

Elliot Gonzalez, I Talk Telly
 
“Beyond heartbreak, sex and navigating your career in your early twenties, the show takes on a huge feat of tackling miscarriage.”

Nana Baah, Vice
 
“Prepare to LOL”

 The Sun
 
“A love letter to that very generation”

Emily Baker, The i
 
"Stirling has a hapless charm"
Suzi Feay, FT
 
“Iain Stirling (the voice of Love Island) and fellow stand-up comic Steve Bugeja – both great talents”

Sean O’Grady, The Independent
 
“It's not what you expect from an ITV2 sitcom and is handled pretty sensitively, showing that Buffering can be daft but deft too.”

Bruce Dessau Beyond The Joke/ Evening Standard
 
“Sharp lines”

Alison Rowat, The Herald

About Avalon

Avalon is a multi-award-winning talent management, television production and live promotion group with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York. Avalon, Artist Rights Group (ARG) and The Agency represent a prolific roster of artists including comedians, actors, presenters, writers and directors.

Avalon’s numerous ground-breaking returning television shows currently in production include: Not Going Out (BBC), the UK’s longest running sitcom on air; Taskmaster (Channel 4), the BAFTA-winning hit entertainment format showing in 150 countries; multi

Emmy-winning, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), one of the network’s most successful entertainment show launches since 2010; Starstruck (HBO Max/BBC), a sitcom from Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo; Buffering (ITV), a sitcom co-created by and starring BAFTA-winning comedian and voice of Love Island, Iain Stirling. Breeders, the comedy series starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard (FX/Sky); the immediately recommissioned, The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show (BBC); a brand-new series of the iconic comedy football show blending football fanaticism with celebrity chat, Fantasy Football League (Sky); and multiple comedy specials for Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Netflix.

Other landmark Avalon shows include BAFTA winning and multi Emmy-nominated Catastrophe (Amazon Prime Video/Channel 4), multi BAFTA-winning TV Burp (ITV), and Workaholics (Comedy Central USA). Avalon also distributes its catalogue of programmes to over 150 countries worldwide. Avalon has produced many globally successful podcasts and is regularly at the top of the UK iTunes chart with the multi-award-winning Shagged. Married. Annoyed by Chris and Rosie Ramsey.

As a leading promoter of live comedy, Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show; Jerry Springer: The Opera, the first West End show to win all four UK ‘Best New Musical’ awards; and has continued to produce and promote live shows globally, as well as promoting more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company.

For Avalon news visit: www.avalonuk.com/press or follow @avalonent