Scriptwriter pens BBC sitcom at 19

7:00am Friday 13th April 2007

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ASPIRING scriptwriter Tim Dawson is hoping for a stellar TV career after having a show commissioned by the BBC at just 19.

Mr Dawson, from The Warren in Abingdon, has just seen the pilot of his sitcom Coming of Age finished at Television Centre and screened.

He has matched the achievement of Susan Nickson, who was 19 when she had Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps commissioned by the corporation.

Mr Dawson said: "I've always loved comedy and, from a young age, wrote stories for myself.

"It's great making people laugh and so important to help lighten the lives of people who live in a very pressurised and stressful world.

"Bringing humour into life must be the best job in the world.

"I love TV. So why isn't there a TV show that talks about life from my perspective, that talks about youth, openly, honestly, truthfully? Now there is."

Mr Dawson, who reckons he has read or seen just about every comedy play and television comedy ever made, left Abingdon School last summer.

He will go to London University this autumn to study English, with the aim of becoming a professional comedy scripwriter.

Coming of Age centres around six friends. Some of the people the characters were based on were in the audience for the recording, but were unaware that they were being portrayed.

Mr Dawson said: "I didn't tell them until after the show and it was interesting to see how they reacted. Fortunately, they thought it was a great laugh."

Offering tips and advice to Tim is comedy scripwriter Paul Mayhew-Archer, co-writer of The Vicar of Dibley, who also lives in Abingdon.

He was giving a school talk when Tim introduced himself. From then on, Tim bombarded Mr Mayhew-Archer with sketches and scripts.

Mr Mayhew-Archer said: "I liked Tim's work on Coming of Age and passed it on to a producer friend and my agent, who took Tim on.

"Tim has worked extensively on the script and it has now been made for BBC3. He is a remarkable talent and is obsessed with comedy."

Mr Mayhew-Archer said Tim has earned himself a place in television history by becoming one of the youngest writers ever to have a TV sitcom pilot made.

He said: "All other television sitcom writers are in their late 20s or 30s before they get a script made."

Coming of Age has already had one screening on BBC3 and may be broadcast again at a later date. If the commissioning editor for comedy on all BBC television networks, Cheryl Taylor, and producer Stephen McCrum believe it has potential, then a series could be commissioned. The first episode would be re-made and Tim asked to write further episodes.

Mr McCrum said: "Tim is extremely talented.

"He's one of the youngest I know to have had a sitcom made. He's not like buses that come along in threes. He's a rare talent for a person so young.

"He writes very good characters and funny lines.

"Comedy is all about great characters with funny lines in amusing situations. I would be very surprised if Tim does not go places. He is amazingly talented and I hope the BBC will commission a series."