HBO Sets James Acaster Comedy Special

James Acaster has invited his hecklers to HBO.

In fact, he’s formally titled the new hour James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome, and it’s set to debut on HBO (and Max) Nov. 23. It marks the British comic’s first special for the platform, and shows him relinquishing control of his set and accepting a generous helping of audience interference. He’s said to have taped it at the Royal & Derngate theatre in his native Northampton, England.

“Performing in the round, in a theatre I went to growing up, with the audience chipping in whenever they felt like it, meant this was the most I’ve enjoyed filming a special, and I’m delighted it’s coming to HBO,” Acaster said in a statement. “Also, I jumped onto the stage via a trampoline and I don’t want that to go unacknowledged.” 

As the hour’s logline suggests, the special has him sharing his “hilarious on-the-fly meta-analysis of his own material, along with stories from his childhood that spurred him to pursue a career in comedy – from his participation in his grandmother’s spinning wheel workshop at school to his impersonation of Prince Charles at age six.” And though his brand of comedy likely will be new to many HBO viewers, Acaster, who’s also a best-selling author and prolific podcaster, has a sizable following across the pond. In fact, he earned five consecutive nominations for Best Comedy Show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“We’re longtime fans of James and are so thrilled to work with him. This special is a bold concept—not many comedians would allow hecklers at their shows; fewer still would openly encourage them to interrupt a live taping of their set, but James has never been one to approach his comedy in a traditional way,” noted Nina Rosenstein, HBO’s EVP of programming, late night and specials, adding: “Filmed in his hometown somewhere in the middle of England, Hecklers Welcome is a hilarious and brilliantly strange hour where James examines his complicated relationship with comedy.” 

The hour arrives as just as Hulu, the latest entrant in the booming market for comedy specials, launches its standup initiative with a monthly rollout beginning with Jim Gaffigan’s The Skinny. Netflix, for its part, remains the 800 pound gorilla with weekly drops and an L.A.-based comedy festival that draws every major talent. And then there’s HBO, which has been in the standup game longer than any of its major competitors. To date, it’s been decidedly smaller and more niche, traditionally launching a max of eight specials a year. And though it can’t or won’t offer Netflix’s paychecks or its global reach, its allure has been a sense of importance, artistry and prestige. In this instance, Acaster joins Bill Maher and Seth Meyers on HBO’s roster.

James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome was written by Acaster and produced and directed by Stuart Laws. Alastair Clayton and Nick Long serve as producers with Amy Tuckwell co-producing. It will drop at 10 PM.