Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 3rd June 2019 |
Lots of news to share, so we won't waffle...
Latest comedy news
Gold orders new sitcom The Cockfields
Channel Gold has ordered The Cockfields, a new sitcom about a family on the Isle of Wight. It's been written by Joe Wilkinson and David Earl and stars Wilkinson and Diane Morgan, plus Sex And The City's Kim Cattrall.
Derry Girls, Hang Ups and Inside No. 9 up for South Bank Awards
Inside No. 9, Derry Girls and Hang Ups are the nominees in the Comedy category of The South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2019. The Favourite and Jessie Cave are also in the shortlists.
John Shuttleworth announces 2020 tour and new book
Graham Fellows is to perform a live tour titled John Shuttleworth's Back in 2020, plus release a book as the character, titled TWO MARGARINES and other Domestic Dilemmas.
Good Omens released on vinyl
The Radio 4 version of Good Omens is to be released on vinyl. The TV verison is also now available to pre-order in various formats.
Comedy stars to take part in Whodunnit spoof play
A number of comedians are due to guest star in Whodunnit [Unrehearsed], a new murder mystery spoof coming to London's Park Theatre.
ITV orders Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow series
ITV has ordered Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow, a series in which five of the country's favourite game shows are revived.
Jack Dee announces 2019 tour
Jack Dee has announced his first stand-up tour in six years. He'll perform 38 dates of his new show Off The Telly between September and December 2019.
The Stand Up Sketch Show gets second series
ITV2 has commission a second series of The Stand Up Sketch Show. It'll be broadcast early in 2020.
Don't Hate The Playaz Series 2 confirmed
ITV2 has ordered a second series of its high-energy, urban music-focused panel show Don't Hate The Playaz. The series will be shown in the autumn.
The Mind Of Herbert Clunkerdunk series ordered
BBC Two has ordered a series of The Mind Of Herbert Clunkerdunk, the sitcom starring Spencer Jones.
Jack Whitehall to star in Clifford The Big Red Dog movie
Jack Whitehall will take the lead adult role in new Hollywood film Clifford The Big Red Dog.
Clement & La Frenais to publish memoir
Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais - the creators of sitcoms including Porridge and The Likely Lads - are to publish a memoir in September.
ITV orders sport-themed comedy clip show
ITV has commissioned Zone Of Champions, a new sports-themed comedy clip show, hosted in character by John Thomson and Jessica Knappett.
Features
Listen to Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse have released a joint memoir linked to their BBC fishing series. The audiobook version is particularly enjoyable, and features bonus material - we've got an exclusive clip in which we hear the comedy stars fishing for rainbow trout.
Strong Characters and Classic Strips at Comic-Con
Classic comics, alien editors and scary characters: our Rogue Pun column beams down at MCM London Comic-Con.
Comedy highlights at the Hay Festival 2019
BCG's Matt Hilborn popped over to Wales to catch Marcus Brigstocke, Jo Brand, Mae Martin, Sara Pascoe and Bill Bailey at The Hay Festival 2019.
First Gig, Worst Gig: The Bear Pack
On the cusp of a Soho Theatre run, improv duo The Bear Pack give us the big ups and big downs of shouty audiences.
British Comedy Quiz #52
What is Alan Partridge's middle name? That's one of the questions this week...
BCG Pro
"There aren't many publications with the cojones to keep their reviews uncontaminated by stars these days." Anonymous critic The Secret Reviewer writing about the topic of star ratings is one of the features you can find through our website for those who make comedy.
Podcasts
People often forget how much Les Dennis has done in his career. His great RHLSTP interview will remind you. Listen in to the interesting tales of working with the likes of Tommy Cooper.
TV listings
Horrible Histories
Series 8 of the hit sketch show starts this afternoon with a special making 200 years since the birth of Queen Victoria, looking at the invention of film.
Celebrity Juice
In a highlights special, Keith Lemon is interviewed by Richard Arnold, who is trying to tap into the host's creative mastermind whilst looking back at some best bits.
Taskmaster
Paul Sinha has some struggles with a basketball, Joe Thomas has a disastrous birthday and will Sian Gibson rescue Little Alex Horne from the sharp beak of an aquatic bird?
Mum
After a night out at a restaurant, Cathy and her family head to bed. Pauline's had too much to drink and Jason has something he needs to say to his mum.
CelebAbility
Series 3 of the comedy show, now with a tweaked format that sees Scarlett Moffatt as a team captain. This week she leads Lee Ryan, Helen Flanagan, Matt Evers and Nathan Caton against members of the public.
Judge Romesh
Paul Danan finally gets his day in court with Shaun Williamson after a pantomime-based fallout. In the second episode a desperate father begs Judge Romesh not to let his son run off to the circus.
Comedy Central Live
Darren Harriott speaks about moving from Birmingham to London, peculiar roommates and marketing struggles when forming his very own gang as a young teenager.
There's Something About Movies
Whose film knowledge is five-star and whose will end up on the cutting room floor? Alan Carr tests Alice Eve, Rafe Spall, Tom Davis and Guz Khan in the final episode in the series.
Mock The Week
Angela Barnes, Ed Byrne, Rhys James, Nish Kumar and Ellie Taylor join regular panellist Hugh Dennis for some more topical fun.
Shopping With Keith Lemon
A new series in which Keith Lemon interviews celebrities whilst on a shopping trip with them. First up: Jimmy Carr and Mel B.
Sarah Millican: Control Enthusiast
Channel 4 is to broadcast a TV edit of Sarah Millican's stand-up DVD. The premise is that she's a control enthusiast - not a control freak.
The Last Leg
Romesh Ranganathan, continuing to be the busiest comedian on TV, is set to join Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker this Friday.
The Comedy Underground
Jay Lafferty introduces stand-up comedians Ria Lina, Marc Jennings, Robin Grainger, Paul McDaniel and Ross Leslie to Scotland's stand-up comedy show.
The Graham Norton Show
Stephen Fry is on the show this Friday, to talk about his Mythos tour. Plus everyone's favourite hot vicar from Fleabag, Andrew Scott; Paloma Faith; and Bastille.
Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule
Series 3 of Harry Hill's madcap panel show. Martine McCutcheon, Les Dennis, Alison Hammond and Tom Courtenay are the guests.
Piers Morgan's Life Stories
This should be interesting... in this interview, Michael Barrymore will open up about his 'astronomical' fall from grace. Amongst other things, he discusses the death of Stuart Lubbock at his house, and the depths of his drug and alcohol addictions.
The Ranganation
Episode 4 of the show in which Romesh Ranganathan looks at what's going on in the world, with the help of a panel made up of members of the public.
Utterly Outrageous X-Rated Comedy
Jennifer Saunders narrates a look at the most shocking, controversial and outlandish comedy of the last 50 years.
For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule.
Shop
 |
Mortimer & Whitehouse - Gone FishingTwo comedy greats talk life, friendship and the joys of fishing... Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse have been friends for 30 years, but when life intervened, what was once a joyous and spontaneous friendship dwindled to the odd phone call or occasional catch up. Then, Glory Be! They were both diagnosed with heart disease and realised that time is short. They'd better spend it fishing... Based on the popular TV series of the same new (the first of which is available now on Blu-ray and DVD, and the second comes to screens soon), the audiobook edition of this new publication sees the comedy stars go extraordinarily off-piste with hilarious results. Check out our exclusive extract. |
 |
Spring MeetingHitchcock heroine Nova Pilbeam demonstrates her flair for comedy in this incredibly popular 1941 adaptation of the hit play by Irish author M.J. Farrell and John Perry. Co-starring Michael Wilding, Basil Sydney and Margaret Rutherford, Spring Meeting - released in America as Three Wise Brides - is featured here in a brand-new transfer from original film elements, in its original aspect ratio. The film tells the story of broke English widow Tiny and her bachelor son Tony, who visit her one-time flame, rich Irish widower Sir Richard Furze, in the hope of reviving their fortunes by marrying Tony to Furze's eldest daughter and heir, Joan. |
|
Susan Calman - Sunny Side Up: A Story Of Kindness And JoyAfter writing Cheer Up Love: Adventures In Depression With The Crab Of Hate, a detailed memoir of her battle with depression, Susan Calman is "on a mission to find the positives in life". Travelling around the country on tour she visits towns and cities across the land trying to find what makes people happy, and more importantly, if she can in some way influence how the people of the UK behave. |
|
At Last The 1948 ShowThis ground-breaking, splendidly silly and surreal comedy sketch series, written and performed by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman - also starring the lovely Aimi MacDonald - was a major milestone on the road to Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Goodies and everything that came after. This lovingly curated new deluxe three-disc set restores all the existing episodes from both series of the programme in the correct order, and is as complete as is currently possible. Of the 13 editions originally broadcast, it includes all ten surviving episodes, two almost completely reconstructed episodes, and the complete audio of a further episode with fragments of film restored; all drawn from the vaults of the BFI National Archive, and proudly presented alongside an array of newly-filmed and archive extras. |
|
Chris Bran & Justin Chubb - Dad DroidFrom the creators of This Is Jinsy, a fun, fast-paced adventure for children of all ages. When Freddy Bird's genius-inventor Dad goes missing, he and best friend Minnie find themselves plunged into mortal danger, pursued by dangerous thugs, deadly mechanical birds and a sinister businessman with an incredible shark-like car. But when the children discover a secret tunnel where Freddy's father has hidden parts of an amazing robot, they decide to outwit their enemies by putting the droid together - a droid that looks just like Freddy's Dad... |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Britain's Got Talent
This year's Britain's Got Talent featured a number of comedians, with Kojo Anim and Siobhan Phillips making it through to the final. Click through to see videos from a number of the contestants on our site.
Ghosts - Blooper Reel
A second series of Ghosts is on the way, and you can win Series 1 on DVD. Meanwhile, here are some outtakes from the popular new comedy.
Theresa May vlog
The outgoing Prime Minister records a video diary.
Year Of The Rabbit - Trailer
The trailer for the new comedy from Matt Berry, due to launch on Channel 4 later this month. Set in London in 1887, it follows Detective Inspector Rabbit.
Taskmaster - Outtake
In this scene cut from TV, Greg Davies's choice of discussion topic leaves all the contestants lost for words.
Annie Waits
A short film about how we've all waited for 'the one'. Annie Waits tells the story of lust and disappointment, as a twenty-something waits for her adult life to begin.
The Final Slice
Lee & Dean deliver 'a piping hot slice of justice' in their latest online sketch.
Spotlight
Hardwicke House
The likes of Rory Kinnear, Duncan Preston and Pam Ferris star in this ITV sitcom from the late 80s - with guest appearances from stars including Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson. Famed for being pulled by ITV after just 2 of 7 episodes had been broadcast due to a huge tabloid backlash against its uncompromising portrayal of comprehensive schools, the comedy is set at an establishment notorious for the riotous, violent behaviour of its students. But just who're worse; the students, or the teachers? Remarkably, one of the programme's original crew members has just uploaded all seven episodes - five never seen by the public before - to YouTube. Watch them via our episode guides.
Thanks for reading
To keep British Comedy Guide going long-term, we need a new server. It's going to be rather expensive - we're trying to save up for it. If you like what we do, please consider making a donation. Becoming a BCG Supporter has perks - you can opt to get a daily email (providing more content than this weekly newsletter); enter a prize draw; see less adverts on the website; access extra content; and more.
Have a great week!
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
BCG on social media:
Join our mailing list