“Studio C” is bringing back a familiar face — original cast member Jason Gray, BYUtv announced Tuesday.
One of the original creators of BYUtv’s “Studio C,” Gray’s many roles on the sketch comedy series included the British announcer on “Top Soccer Shootout Ever with Scott Sterling” and recurring appearances as Severus Snape from “Harry Potter.”
Although Gray won’t appear on screen until fall 2021, he will be actively preparing for taping next year, working behind the scenes and in the writers’ room, according to a news release.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to ‘Studio C’ again,” Gray said in a statement. “Sketch comedy is part of my DNA as an actor and writer, and it will be an exciting adventure to work with mostly new faces!
“I can’t wait to bring back some of my old impressions — Batman, Snape and The Emperor — while introducing some new characters I’ve been working on as well,” the comedian continued. “I’m also very excited to be performing in front of live audiences again once it’s safe. Nothing beats the magic of live comedy, and (fingers crossed) we should have plenty of it!”
During his initial run on “Studio C,” Gray and his fellow cast members drew close to 2 billion views. Their “clean comedy” even caught the attention of late night host Conan O’Brien, whose kids were fans of “Studio C.”
In 2018, Gray and the nine other original “Studio C” cast members announced they would be leaving BYUtv to start their own family-friendly comedy venture, the Deseret News reported. The 10 comedians left “Studio C” at the end of season 9 and launched JK! Studios. The move allowed the group to expand beyond sketch comedies to include web series, sitcoms, digital shorts and movies, according to the Deseret News.
JK! Studios also reached the semifinals of the NBC comedy competition “Bring the Funny” in 2019, drawing praise from judges Jeff Foxworthy, Keenan Thompson and Chrissy Teigen.
“This means that my dad will finally like, respect my career choice,” Gray said of JK! Studios’ success on the show, according to the Deseret News.
BYUtv announced on Oct. 20 that original “Studio C” member Jason Gray will be returning to the show. Gray’s many roles on the sketch comedy series included the British announcer on “Top Soccer Shootout Ever with Scott Sterling” and recurring appearances as Severus Snape from “Harry Potter.”
Justin Hackworth
Original “Studio C” cast member Matt Meese said JK! Studios is “excited” to support Gray in his return to BYUtv. To date, “Studio C” has close to 2.5 million subscribers and more than 2.2 billion views on YouTube.
“‘Studio C’ is arguably one of our most-loved legacy shows,” Michael Dunn, BYUtv’s managing director, said in a statement. “And Jason was one of the most versatile and formidable talents in that original cast. So to have him joining forces with our equally-talented new cast members is a major coup for sketch comedy fans.”