Amanda Abbington and Katherine Parkinson to lead slate of new ITV comedies

ITV has unveiled a slate of new comedy commissions, most of which will premiere on ITVX, featuring stars including Katherine Parkinson and Amanda Abbington.

The broadcaster’s upcoming streaming platform will replace the ITV Hub as the broadcaster increases its efforts to compete with industry giants such as Netflix and Amazon.

IT Crowd and Doc Martin actress Parkinson will star in Significant Other.

The series, which starts filming next month, will follow two lonely neighbours who embark on a “hesitant, obstacle-filled relationship” after major life changes bring them together.

It is based on an Israeli series of the same name, was written by Dana Fainaru and Hamish Wright, and will co-star Youssef Kerkour, whose credits include House Of Gucci and Home.

The six-part drama will air on ITVX next year.

Sherlock star Abbington will appear in six-part series The Family Pile, which will follow four sisters who have lost their parents and are packing up the family home to sell.

Filmed in the Liverpool City Region and due to air on ITV next year, the programme will also star Clare Calbraith, Claire Keelan and Alexandra Mardell as the sisters.

Comedian Jayde Adams, who will compete in the forthcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, will star in Bristol-based series Ruby Speaking on ITVX, inspired by her years working in a call centre.

Fellow Bristolian Rosie Gaunt-Mathieson will direct the series while Jon Macqueen will produce.

Count Abdulla on ITVX will follow Abdulla Khan, played by Arian Nik, a young British-Pakistani Muslim doctor experiencing an identity crisis as he finds himself stuck between his religious mother and secular, hedonistic friends.

When he is bitten by a vampire, played by Jaime Winstone, he becomes the “outsider’s outsider”.

Written by Kaamil Shah and directed by Asim Abbasi, Count Abdulla is a Fudge Park production.

Deep Fake Neighbour Wars will use AI technology to make the UK’s best new impressionists become famous celebrities such as Nicki Minaj, Tom Holland, Mark Zuckerberg and Billie Eilish.

Nana Hughes, ITV’s head of comedy, said: “The arrival of ITVX gives us more opportunities to commission a broad range of comedies and a dedicated place for the genre to call home.

“We want a huge cross-section of contemporary, diverse and inclusive comedy. We want to take risks but most importantly we want our audiences to find shows that reflect them and make them laugh.”