BBC Announces New Comedy 'Only Child,' Renews Fan Favorites 'The Cleaner,' 'Dreaming Whilst Black'

There's good news for BBC comedy fans, as renewals and new series have been greenlit for the British Broadcaster for 2024. While American networks were trotting out their best series for Spring at the Television Critics Association Winter press tour, the BBC Director of Comedy, Jon Petrie, announced six series would be heading behind the camera with planned broadcasts before the end of the year over there (if not over here), including new seasons of hits Dreaming Whilst Black and The Cleaner.

Dreaming Whilst Black, co-created and co-written by series star Adjani Salmon (Chivalry), is a comedic look at the Black experience of U.K. life when one dreams of being an artist. The series features Kwabena (Salmon), as an aspiring filmmaker who finds himself balancing finances, love, family, and his own sanity. It was a massive hit in the UK, garnering critical praise and The Royal Television Society's 2022 Breakthrough Award win for Salmon.

The show was picked up in its first season by Showtime and streamed on Paramount+, and despite not getting much marketing from either, it became a sleeper hit in America, partially due to Paramount+ also being the home of BET programming. Deadline has confirmed Showtime is all in on Season 2, boarding from the outset this time as co-producer, with plans to stream Season 2 as close to its BBC airing as possible.