THE SEMI-ANIMATED comedy TV series, Roy, has just been recommissioned by the BBC for its third series.

The ‘mockumentary’ that follows 11-year-old Roy – a cartoon character making his way in the ‘real’ world – is set in Ballyfermot in Dublin and created by Irish animation company Jam Media.

The announcement of a third series constitutes an investment of €8.85m, according to Jam Media, and will create 60 jobs for the company. The series is shown on CBBC, the children’s channel in the BBC output.

Simon Delaney, who plays Roy’s dad, will return for the third series alongside other regulars, Cathy Belton, Martha Byrne, Scott Graham and Mark Lambert. The series has previously been nominated twice for BAFTAs. John Rice, CEO of Jam Media, said that:

Roy speaks for every child who feels different and wants to fit in. This is a series with real heart, as well as being loads of fun with genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

The origins of the series is in a short semi-animated film, Badly Drawn Roy, produced by Jam Media in 2007. It was written by brothers Alan and Frank Shannon, who originally had their own mum and dad play Roy’s ‘live action’ parents in the short.

TheJournal.ie featured it in our Friday at the movies series of short Irish films last year:

via jammedia2008/youtube