A new period comedy set in Victorian England is in the pipeline for BBC Two from the creator of Rev.

Written by James Wood, Quacks centres on four young medical pioneers in the 1840s – a time when the operating theatre as a dangerous arena of one-upmanship and spectacle – who are fighting not just to save lives but also to beat their rivals and make their mark on the world.

The series is based on a completed pilot, which was directed by Andy De Emmony, and stars Mathew Baynton as a fledgling psychiatrist; Rory Kinnear as an arrogant, showman surgeon; Tom Basden as a hedonistic dentist and Lydia Leonard as a forthright social campaigner.

The comedy arm of NBCUniversal International Studios, Lucky Giant, is behind the show, which is made in association with the Wellcome Trust. Filming will begin on the comedy towards the end of the year.

Justin Davies, managing director of Lucky Giant, executive produces with Wood; the latter said of the show: “Quacks is a comedy series about three colourful, energetic, young Victorian doctors who enjoy a lurid social life of drink, drugs, and complicated relationships. In other words, they”re just like every other young doctor you”ve ever met. I couldn’t be more excited about working with this incredible cast on a show set during a fascinating period of medical history.”

PI subscribers can follow the production from 18 March on our site, where we will be detailing dates and names as they are locked down later in the year.