'Female Young Ones' for BBC Three

Actress Karen Taylor co-wrote the pilot

A new TV comedy series described by its makers as "a female version of The Young Ones" is being made for digital channel BBC Three.

May Contain Nuts stars Karen Taylor from ITV1's The Sketch Show, which won the best comedy series Bafta in 2002.

She has written the show with co-star Mirren Delaney. A pilot episode will be broadcast on BBC Three later this year followed by a potential full series.

Anarchic series The Young Ones was shown on BBC Two from 1982 to 1984.

The Young Ones starred Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer

It helped launch the acting careers of stars Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle and Christopher Ryan, who went on to appear in Absolutely Fabulous.

It was followed by ITV series Girls On Top, a similarly chaotic 1980s sitcom starring Ruby Wax, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Tracey Ullman.

Jon Thoday of May Contain Nuts producer Avalon Television said: "We are excited to be making our first show for BBC Three, which has already proved to be a great breeding ground for new comedy."

The digital channel was the first to broadcast hit comedy series such as Little Britain, The Smoking Room and Monkey Dust.