Buffering (TV series)

Buffering is a British sitcom broadcast on ITV2.^[1] The series was created and is co-written by comedian Iain Stirling and Steve Bugeja,^[2][3] and began airing on 5 August 2021 with all episodes available on the ITV Hub on the same day.^[4] After a year hiatus, a second series aired in January 2023, but after 12 episodes "Buffering" was axed.

Buffering
Genre	Situation comedy
Created by	Steve Bugeja Iain Stirling
Directed by	Martin Stirling
Starring	Iain Stirling Elena Saurel Phil Fletcher Jessie Cave
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	2
No. of episodes	12
Production
Executive producers	Richard Allen-Turner Jon Thoday
Producers	Jane Bell Serena Cullen
Original release
Network	ITV2
Release	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05) – 6 March 2023 (2023-03-06)

Cast

• Iain Stirling as Iain; A children's TV presenter.
• Elena Saurel as Olivia
• Jessie Cave as Rosie
• Janine Harouni as Thalia
• Rosa Robson as Ashley
• Paul G Raymond as Greg
• Sean Sagar as Robbie
• Steve Bugeja as Finn
• Phil Fletcher as Larry the Lizard

Plot

"Buffering follows the lives of kids’ TV presenter Iain (Iain Stirling) and his housemates...as they attempt to navigate the choppy waters of their late twenties, with every wrong decision, failed relationship and wasted hungover day intensifying the feeling that time is running out for them to get their 'adult' lives in order."^[5]

Episodes

Series 1

No.	Title[4]	Directed by	Written by	ITV2 air date[6]	ITV Hub air date	UK viewers (millions)[7][a]
1	"Episode 1"	Martin Stirling	Iain Stirling & Steve Bugeja	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05)	5 August 2021	3.57
2	"Episode 2"	Martin Stirling	Iain Stirling & Steve Bugeja	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05)	5 August 2021	4.02
3	"Episode 3"	Martin Stirling	Iain Stirling & Steve Bugeja	12 August 2021 (2021-08-12)	5 August 2021	2.89
4	"Episode 4"	Martin Stirling	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Eleanor Tiernan	19 August 2021 (2021-08-19)	5 August 2021	3.35
5	"Episode 5"	Martin Stirling	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Eleanor Tiernan	26 August 2021 (2021-08-26)	5 August 2021	1.51
6	"Episode 6"	Martin Stirling	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Christine Robertson	2 September 2021 (2021-09-02)	5 August 2021	2.30

Series 2

No.	Title[4]	Directed by	Written by	ITV2 air date[8]	ITV Hub air date	UK viewers (millions)[7][b]
1	"Episode 1"	Sophie King	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Christine Robertson	30 January 2023 (2023-01-30)	30 January 2023	3.89
2	"Episode 2"	Sophie King	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Janine Harouni	6 February 2023 (2023-02-06)	30 January 2023	3.04
3	"Episode 3"	Sophie King	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Jessie Cave	13 February 2023 (2023-02-13)	30 January 2023	3.39
4	"Episode 4"	Sophie King	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Sally O'Leary	20 February 2023 (2023-02-20)	30 January 2023	4.26
5	"Episode 5"	Sophie King	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Sally O'Leary	27 February 2023 (2023-02-27)	30 January 2023	2.10
6	"Episode 6"	Sophie King	Iain Stirling, Steve Bugeja & Christine Robertson	6 March 2023 (2023-03-06)	30 January 2023	1.78

1. 28-day consolidated ratings with device viewership. From episode 3, figures include viewership on ITV Hub prior to linear broadcast.
2. 28-day consolidated ratings with device viewership. From episode 3, figures include viewership on ITV Hub prior to linear broadcast.