BBC Three will air Ronny Chieng’s new Australian comedy series International Student.
The first episode starring the Daily Show correspondent aired on ABC in June. Co-created and co-written by the comedian, International Student explores Chieng’s experience of studying abroad in Australia.
BBC Three has secured the rights to air the seven-episode show later this year.
“Ronny Chieng is a welcome new addition to BBC Three,” controller of BBC Three, Damian Kavanagh, said.
“He’s a comedy genius and, in Ronny Chieng: International Student, he has the perfect vehicle for his talents. I couldn’t be more excited to bring this series to the UK.”
Chieng said Ronny Chieng: International Student was inspired by his own experiences studying law at the University of Melbourne.
“Something unique and original, and going through my experiences and memories, I just felt like being an international student in Australia — as specific as that is — was kind of a story that hasn’t really been spoken about but is one that has been experienced by a lot of people,” he said.
“I would talk to my friends about it, and people would study in a foreign country for three years or so and then go home. And they would say those years were like a dream, it was so ethereal. I wanted to capture that a bit.”
Last year, Chieng was praised for slamming Fox News reporter Jesse Watters for his racist Chinatown segment. Watters had caused serious offense to the Asian American community after producing a video that mocked Asian stereotypes in Chinatown, resulting in the community demanding an apology from the network.
