4. Digital Pilots From YouTube to Television: Short-Form Comedy and the Persistence of British Broadcasting Practices

British television comedy has undergone significant transformation with the advent of online TV, yet traditional broadcasting frameworks demonstrate remarkable persistence. We examine how public service broadcasters maintain continuities in comedy development by analysing the BBC’s ‘Comedy Short Films’ and Channel 4’s ‘Comedy Blaps’, arguing that these initiatives ultimately reinforce conventional commissioning methodologies by functioning as digital-era pilot mechanisms with the goal of developing content for traditional broadcast. Building on this institutional continuity, we analyse the absorption of user-generated content into television via two case studies: People Just Do Nothing and Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. Both originated on YouTube before transitioning to broadcast, revealing how television continues the historical practice of appropriating content from adjacent media forms. This process demonstrates continuity with past patterns; just as television comedy once incorporated talent from radio, it now systematically integrates elements from digital platforms, reflecting evolution rather than revolution of established practices.