Channel 4 commissions Drifters series two as part of drive to "foreground female voices"

The broadcaster's chief creative officer Jay Hunt announced the news in the channel's annual report, explaining how the sitcom was part of their push to "foreground female voices."

The coming-of-age series, also starring Lydia Rose Bewley and Lauren O'Rourke, aired late last year on E4 and attracted half a million viewers following the exploits of unemployed Meg and her prospect-free pals Laura and Bunny.

Knappet, who has signed on to star with David Schwimmer in ABC pilot Irreversible, was also praised by Channel 4's head of comedy, Phil Clarke: "Her writing gets stronger and stronger and she was a different writer at the end of that series than she had been at the beginning."

Clarke also spoke of a "new direction" for the channel, focusing on female writers and performers such as newcomer Lisa McGee who wrote last year's London Irish, Caitlin Moran whose pilot Raised by Wolves has won a full series and Man Down actress Roisin Conaty who has developed a new project for the broadcaster.

Knappett revealed last January that she had already begun work on the second series in the hope of getting a green light from Channel 4. "I'm tempting fate a bit, but I've started writing just it just in case. It's looking good and I want to be ahead of the game if it happens."

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