The BBC have a new comp on at the moment- The Last Laugh, where a bunch of well known sitcom writers have created new sitcom works, but not finished them. The task for the competition is.... yes, for you to complete the sitcoms. Writers include Jonathan 'Gimme Gimme Gimm' Harvey, Trix Worrell (Desmonds), Carla Lane, (Butterflies) and others. Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/lastlaugh for all the details, and to find out where to get hold of the scripts. Similiar to the End of Story comp that ran recently. And let us know how you get on!

I have a spare copy of the book if anyone wants one.

Are you going up for it Elsie?

Hope so Anna, I'd have to give myself a quick course in format etc, but I did borrow some books on script writing a while ago.

I haven't had a chance to read through the book yet, I picked it up yesterday - but I picked up a spare in case a someone on here wanted one. I did the 'End of story' one last year, at the last minute, and really enjoyed doing it. Unfortunately I never got to see the winning one - I ordered a copy over the phone but it didn't arrive.

Hi Elsie,

Good to see eveyone so active after I've been away a while. If you still have the spare copy of the Last Laugh's book I would love to have it - Brighton has been raided of them.

and good luck with it!

Alison Swann

Just to let you know - the spare book has been claimed by a WWer.

Alison, sorry - our posting crossed!

No probs!

Now I've read all 8, this is not going to be easy!

I've managed to rule a couple out for not really fitting with a style I could follow, (for I guess they want you to keep it aimed at a similar audience, continue the tone set in the first 20 minutes). Now I'm looking at the others, trying to figure out how the story would end. With a couple it is easy to see where they would like you to go, and it appears to be just getting the jokes in there, but some are left rather open.

I think the most difficult thing about it is that we only have until the first week of May to get them in.

Carla Lane is hilarious. I love the way she's parlayed a bunch of two-dimensional 'Skallywags' into a career.
Predictability is hugely funny.
Safe is good.
Mediocrity is the watchword.

If I wasn't chuckling so much at Carla Lane's characters I'd be stabbing myself in the throat with an old Bic Biro...oh hang on, there was a very unfunny episode there (for the last 15 years). I have to go and find a paramedic now.

Best
Sion

P.S 'I'm a lady'- say that often enough with enough production money and it becomes funny. Same as: 'I'm a writer'.

Have any of them tempted you yet, do any seem like sitcoms you actually wish you'd written? I guess it's the screen version of End of Story isn't it- as much about skilfully fitting in with a style as anything else. What's the Jonathan Harvey like?

I really didn't like the Johnathan Harvey one, and I love Gimme Gimme Gimme. There didn't seem to be a lot of plot devices to play with, just chat. I've completely avoided the Carla Lane one. Life's too short.

Some are quite good, and I admit to laughing outloud several times, but one thing puzzles me.

What's the prize?

It seems to be that one of the eight mightget made. Still, I've chosen one and spent a few hours tapping at the keys. Think I might give it a go.

Is anyone else entering, or is just me Elsie and Alison?

Colin M

I had intended to. I have the book, but 'Shoot The Writers' had to be the priority, given that I'd had some success in the last series. Anyway, I posted that off this morning, so if I can come up with a strong enough idea for one of the endings over the next few days, I might just have a chance of getting something finished in time...

It took me less than 24 hours from reading the script to sending it in, but that doesn't mean it was any good. Mind you, I think I put about ten hours of work into it.

half hour to read the script. half hour to think. Two hours writing before bed, then three hours in the morning and the rest of the day cleaing, trimming and polishing (and reading aloud in front of a clock).

I had planned on entering more than one, then found out you can't.

Colin M

I was disappointed that you couldn't enter more than one. (Well, in that secret world inside my head where I have endless time to work on such things.)

Anyway, I think I've decided which one to do, just going to have a reread of a couple of others before I make my mind up!