Congratulations, Allison Silverman and Tom Purcell!

Variety shares Ms. Silverman’s and Mr. Purcell’s good news:

‘Colbert’ ups Allison Silverman
Co-head writer will focus on new duties
By STEVEN ZEITCHIK

Comedy Central has tapped Allison Silverman as a third exec producer of “The Colbert Report,” where she will join Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart in overseeing the latenight skein.

Silverman for the past nine months has served, together with Richard Dahm and Meredith Bennett, as co-exec producer of “Colbert.” She and Dahm were also co-head writers but will now focus on their other responsibilities.

Before her tour at “Colbert,” Silverman was a scribe on both “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” and “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” where she also performed.

Colbert quipped that Silverman was funny, kind and intelligent — but “unfortunately, in her new job two of those have got to go.”

Move marks the first time “Colbert” will have a third EP since Ben Karlin departed the series. Scribe, who helped launch the “Daily Show” spinoff in 2005, left to work on other projects at the end of 2006; he recently signed a first-look deal with HBO.

Also on Monday, “Colbert” scribe Tom Purcell was named head writer for the show. The scribe had informally assumed those duties following Karlin’s departure but with the other moves, his ascent to that role has now been formalized.

Insiders said that given Silverman’s long involvement with “Colbert,” tone and feel of the series likely won’t see significant change as a result of the promotion.

“Colbert” is beginning its first run during a presidential-election season, a period that in the past has given a ratings bump to companion Comedy Central Series “The Daily Show.”