A BLACK Country property company has become the unlikely sponsor of home-grown comedy star - Doreen.

The character, created by Quarry Bank-born playwright David Tristram, became an overnight sensation shot when her ‘Lazy Cow’ video went viral on YouTube and she has since become a star of stage and film and released her own autobiography.

Now property investors Phil and Mark Stewardson, who run Stewardson Developments in Cradley Heath, have agreed to fund Doreen TV - a brand new Black Country internet TV channel, set-up by writer David and Doreen actress Gill Jordan, which offers comedy fans an alternative to mainstream TV.

Phil, aged 52, said: “We first saw a video of Doreen a year ago and we thought it was fantastic.

“To us she is an archetypal bad tenant, the sort of person we would never want in one of our properties.

“But as a character and a performance we think she’s as good as and better than anything on stage or TV in recent years.”

David said: "It's nice that they've come forward. We like to think we've gone beyond 'Lazy Cow' now."

New videos will start with an ‘ident’ recognising Stewardsons’ involvement, and the aim of the sponsorship deal is to help the producers with advertising and promotional support. There’s also the offer to use vacant properties as filming locations.

Mark, aged 49, said: “We want to try and help Doreen get an opportunity on mainstream TV. So many people seem to be able to associate with Doreen, everyone seems to love the character and it would be great to see David and Gill get the recognition they deserve. The live shows have received incredible reviews and we wish them every success.”

David and Gill, who recently staged Doreen's Grand Night Out to sell-out audiences at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, hope to grow Doreen TV into a unique comedy channel for the Black Country, adding more and more specially-filmed material as the project gains momentum, including interviews with local celebs and Black Country businesses.

For details on how to subscribe to Doreen TV, visit www.doreen.tv, or to see the trailer for the new comedy channel watch the video below...but BE WARNED - IT CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE!