Robert Popper began his career writing for The Big Breakfast characters Zig and Zag. He then worked as commissioning editor for comedy and entertainment at Channel 4, where he helped launch Bo’ Selecta!, Black Books and Spaced. He was the producer for two series of Peep Show, script editor on all three series of The Inbetweeners, and co-wrote the first half of the first series of Stath Lets Flats with Jamie Demetriou in 2018. His own creation, the acclaimed sitcom Friday Night Dinner, ended with its sixth series in 2020. Now Popper is back with a brand new female-led comedy, I Hate You, starring Sex Education’s Tanya Reynolds and newcomer Melissa Saint as two flatsharing best friends in their 20s.
Hi, Robert! What’s your process for dreaming up a new sitcom?
Well, it starts with this … [gestures to wall of Post-It notes].
