Zai Bennett, Controller BBC Three, today unveils his first commissions – shows in every area that are new, original and aimed squarely at 16-34-year-olds watching BBC Three, which is now the most watched digital channel for the hours it broadcasts.

Zai said: "BBC Three is an innovative, young and distinctly British channel. I hope this raft of new original shows will add to its rich history of brand new programming in all genres."

Factual

Up For Hire Live

In 2011, a record 20% of young people are unemployed. Up For Hire is a live event stripped across a week and will follow four talented but unemployed young people (18-24) as they get their careers put on fast track. In just four weeks, they will progress from 'tea boy' to making executive decisions. It's 40 years' service in just one month at a range of companies.

This documentary follows four young people. Every evening, we will also hold a live, studio debate where any themes or issues that arise from the documentary will be discussed as well as their progress. At the end of the week, the ambition is that one of the employers offers our young people a job.

Zai added: "Jobs and work are a vital issue for our audience right now. Up For Hire will condense the experiences of a 40-year career into one TV week in an innovative and engaging programme, which we hope will not only have a real effect on the participants, but our entire audience."

Made by Love Productions.

Current Affairs

"BBC Three stands out amongst its competitors for its commitment to current affairs and documentaries. These two new films will tackle hugely important and sensitive issues in a relevant and engaging way for our audience," says Zai.

Mixed Up In The Middle East

Reya's half Arab, half Jewish. Her parents fell in love across the Middle East divide, but she's grown up in Britain. So what happens when she goes to Israel and the Palestinian territories for the first time?

This is a journey of understanding for the BBC Three audience as Reya gets to meet people from both sides of the divide – whose shattered lives are the fallout from the conflict. Spending time with her own cousins, she'll reveal how everyday life for them has been made shockingly different – often very dangerous – by the long-running hostilities they were born into. It's a world away from the life she knows but one all too familiar for her ancestors. She'll explore what the two sides have in common, as well as what divides them; and explore the prospects for peace as the Arab world undergoes its most radical change for generations.

Mixed Up In The Middle East is a Current Affairs production.

Britain You're Welcome to It (working title)

Every month, thousands of Eastern Europeans start a new life in the UK. Since 2004, 1.5 million have arrived, and there are now more foreign workers in the country than ever before. But is their new home quite what they expected?

BBC Three joins a unique bus tour, accompanying newly arrived immigrants on sightseeing trips organised to help them learn about Britain – and their place in it.

We'll follow a group of Eastern Europeans as they arrive in the UK, from the moment they step off the plane to their experiences on the day trips – candidly revealing their first impressions of Britain and its people.

We'll see the country through their eyes, exposing the difficulties and challenges they face in their first month, and the realities of life as a newcomer to Britain.

A Current Affairs Production.

Comedy

Zai says: "Making our audience laugh is one of our key aims at BBC Three. We have been the home of some of the most brilliant and innovative new comedy in recent times and we hope Life Story with Sharon Horgan will add to that and that Will Mellor in White Van Man will go from strength to strength."

Life Story – brand new comedy series written and starring Sharon Horgan (Pulling, The Increasingly Poor Decision Of Todd Margaret) and comedian Holly Walsh (co-host of The TNT Show and All Over the Place).

Helen Stephens (Sharon Horgan) has never done anything wrong in her life. Apart from that time she was stopped for drink driving... So when she is falsely imprisoned for the murder of her boss, she knows it's only a matter of time before this horrible mistake is sorted and she is back to her old life. The only problem is her fiancé and alibi, Justin, prefers her being in prison because he just can't face dumping her. Plus her younger sister Laura is quite happy she's inside as she's moved into her flat and taken her place in the pub quiz team. And Henry, the weirdo from work, is beginning to realise his weekly prison visits are the only guaranteed way to spend time with her. If that's not bad enough, her lawyer, Tony, is a specialist in "injury at work" claims and thinks shouting "You can't handle the truth" amounts to a convincing defence.

Despite all this Helen is determined stay optimistic, and to get out with her dignity intact. All she has to cope with now is a prison governor who believes that appeals are bad for morale, and an arsonist cellmate who just wants a hug.

Against a backdrop of life in Broadmarsh Prison, Life Story is a sitcom with a little "murder mystery" thrown in, as Helen fights to prove her innocence by finding her boss's real killer. Whoever it is he or she is still on the loose and could kill again. Helen documents her time in prison in her letters to Maurice, her pen-pal on Death Row in Kansas. She happily distracts him from his impending demise with tales of the South Wing's production of The Pirates Of Penzance.

A BBC Comedy Production.

Wilfred

Wilfred is a half-hour, live-action comedy about Ryan, a young man struggling unsuccessfully to make his way in the world until he forms a unique friendship with Wilfred, his neighbour's canine pet. Elijah Wood (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Happy Feet) stars as Ryan and Jason Gann, who co-created and starred in the Australian series, plays the title character, Wilfred.

Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees a rude, somewhat surly, yet irrepressibly brave and honest Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit. While leading him through a series of comedic and existential adventures, Wilfred the dog shows Ryan the man how to overcome his fears and embrace the world around him.

Wilfred is based on the critically acclaimed Australian series of the same title and was adapted by David Zuckerman (Family Guy, American Dad!, King Of The Hill).

Wilfred is produced by FX Productions.

White Van Man

Hit comedy series White Van Man returns for another 6x30 mins. Back in Maplebury Ollie (Will Mellor) the proverbial man with a van, is struggling to do the right thing when all around him Darren (Joel Fry) is doing wrong. The series will once again be penned by acclaimed comedian, Adrian Poynton, and see the welcome return of its fantastic ensemble cast. The cheeky, knockabout comedy with a warm heart, full of all the little peculiarities we love about everyday life receive the highest launch of any narrative comedy on BBC Three, with each episode being watched by more than two million.

Filming is due to start later this year.

Two new Comedy pilots

Eggbox is a half-hour comedy drama about life on a teenage cancer ward, written by Tom Bidwell and Mark Catley. Tom wrote the Oscar-nominated short film Wish 143 (about a teenager with cancer who asks to lose his virginity before he dies) and Tom himself survived cancer when he was 15. Mark Catley is consultant producer on Casualty and has written for Holby City, Casualty and EastEnders.

A Hat Trick Production

IED is a single-camera comedy about a British bomb disposal detachment. It's a show about something the public easily forget; soldiers really enjoy being soldiers. This sitcom shows us why, as it takes the audience from moments of intense action to the fractious camaraderie as the unit waits around for their next tasking.

IED is written by James Cary and Richard Hurst who, between them, have co-written 12 episodes of the award-winning BBC Two hit, Miranda. Executive produced by Stephen McCrum, producer of the BAFTA-nominated BBC One smash Mrs Brown's Boys and of BBC Three's multi-award-winning adult puppet comedy Mongrels.

A BBC Comedy production.

TM2