Reflecting on the impressive debut of Mackenzie Crook’s Small Prophets, Jon Petrie, the head of BBC comedy, expressed his satisfaction that they did not secure an American co-producer for the project.
Small Prophets garnered almost eight million views within its initial 28 days, making it the most successful scripted debut for the BBC in 2026, and one of the major launches in the decade. Petrie admitted that financing the distinctly British series was challenging but conveyed concerns about potential American involvement, particularly regarding casting choices and the insistence on a different lead actor than Pearce Quigley.
"Getting Pearce Quigley as the lead would have been difficult," Petrie commented during the BBC Comedy Festival, highlighting the potential American influence, "We were quite concerned because Americans might have pushed for a more well-known name."
Ash Atalla, producer of The Office and moderator at the BBC Comedy Festival, humorously noted that an American co-producer might have preferred "Pierce Brosnan instead of Pearce Quigley."
Petrie also mentioned that American partners often prefer setting shows in iconic locations like London. Alex Moody of Sky Studios added humor by pointing out the geographical misunderstandings Americans might have, such as wanting to shoot a show set in Cornwall on the West Coast of Ireland, despite the vast distance between the two.
Small Prophets, which revolves around a man exploring alchemy and homunculi to uncover what happened to his missing partner, received distributor funding from Sphere Abacus for international sales. The show features Michael Palin, Paul Kaye, Lauren Patel, and Jon Ponting in its cast.
While there has been no official announcement on renewal, Crook has hinted at preparations for a second season of Small Prophets.
During the festival in Liverpool, where Petrie spoke alongside counterparts from ITV, Channel 4, and Sky, Nana Hughes of ITV humorously shared her doubts about the show’s premise, suggesting that she might not have found it amusing enough to greenlight.
Hughes advocated for a return to more traditional half-hour comedies, which are less costly than the extravagant comedy-drama hybrids, yet carry similar risks.
Charlie Perkins of Channel 4 agreed on the importance of casting actors like Quigley who bring unique qualities to a show, and mentioned Channel 4 talents Sam Campbell and Josh Pugh, who are set to appear in upcoming series.
‘Saturday Night Live UK’ wouldn’t work on BBC
Moody highlighted the success of *Saturday Night Live UK*, noting its role in bringing fresh talent to the forefront, who lacked extensive television experience. The show has been renewed for a 12-episode run and is currently a hot topic in the comedy scene.
Petrie praised *Saturday Night Live UK* as superior to its American counterpart but doubted such an expensive production could be feasible on the BBC due to the heavy marketing investment required, something that Sky has managed to undertake.
The comedy chiefs shared these insights just before James Corden and Ruth Jones took the stage at the Comedy Festival in Liverpool.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
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