US viewer-voting comedy site FunnyOrDie is launching a UK-facing outpost today, with a London production HQ and a partnership with Have I Got News For You maker Hat Trick. FunnyOrDie.co.uk will carry many of the comedy clips that have popularised the Stateside parent but aims to commission and create homespun material from existing and upcoming UK comedians…

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The PR says BBC comedian James Serafinowicz will head a London team along with Brass Eye director Al Campbell and Skins writers Dawson Bros. But that UK office will actually be at the headquarters of Hat Trick, which will act as a talent scout and the site’s sole production partner. It will, no doubt, be keen to cream off the funniest discoveries for television proper.

FunnyOrDie, founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s production company Gary Sanchez Productions, works by wouldbe comedians uploading their videos, before viewers vote a clip is “funny” or should “die”. This launch also comes with a clip selection from Little Britain USA, an American spinoff of the over-exposed series from David Walliams and Matt Lucas. HBO is airing that series and is also a minority shareholder in FunnyOrDie. So the deal is as much about breaking them over there as breaking FunnyOrDie over here. Co-founder Chris Henchy is pictured here at our EconSM conference in LA in April.