‘There’s no room to grow’: Aunty Donna on why Australian TV comedy needs a massive shake-up

‘You’ve got to forget what 14-year-old you would want for your career, because all we wanted was an ABC2 show’ … Australian comedy group Aunty Donna, who are trialling their own subscription service to see if they can fund new comedy shows. Photograph: Laurence J McDonald

According to Broden Kelly, comedy is like an orchid; it needs the perfect conditions to grow. That’s why, five years ago, his comedy trio Aunty Donna established Grouse House: a YouTube platform launched to support up-and-coming comedians, who can leverage off Aunty Donna’s existing fanbase rather than getting stuck in the weeds of promotion and distribution.

Grouse House has been ticking along ever since, hosting absurdist, experimental comedy that shares the Aunty Donna DNA, such as Gocsy’s Classics – a nostalgic TV parody series from Aaron Gocs, sending up retro TV faves like Round the Twist and Heartbreak High; quizshow The Most Upsetting Guessing Game in the World, featuring names like Daniel Sloss and Nick Cody; and comedy sci-fi series Descent from Millie Holten, Madi Savage and Ella Lawry.