Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 21st October 2019 |
Monday - again! We hope you had a relaxing weekend. Now read on for details of some new TV shows...
Latest comedy news
Jon & Lucy trial Channel 4's own One Show
Married comics Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont are amongst three presenting couples trialling a new daily programme for Channel 4, akin to BBC One's The One Show.
Paul O'Grady to pilot Saturday night show
Paul O'Grady is to pilot a new comedy entertainment show called Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line-Up.
Red Dwarf to return for two hour special
Red Dwarf is returning to Dave in 2020 for a two hour special. The channel will also air a new three-part documentary series about the hit sitcom.
Leicester Fest to work with elderly audiences
Leicester Comedy Festival has received a grant from The Baring Foundation to expand its reach to older audiences.
Comic Relief launches monthly club night
Comic Relief has announced the launch of its own monthly comedy night in Central London.
BBC Two to launch new comedy series The Witchfinder
Tim Key and Daisy May Cooper will star in The Witchfinder, a new BBC Two comedy series created by Alan Partridge writers Neil and Rob Gibbons.
Channel 4 to screen Brexit comedy How Europe Stole My Mum
Channel 4 is to air a one-off comedy about Brexit, written by and starring Kieran Hodgson. The mockumentary How Europe Stole My Mum will be screened soon.
Guest judges lined-up for Series 4 of Roast Battle
Richard Ayoade, Big Narstie, Sara Pascoe, Noel Fielding and Joe Lycett will act as guest judges in Series 4 of Comedy Central's Roast Battle.
Advert
Artist Steve Lilly is now selling prints of his artwork online and there are quite a few comedy faces to be found amongst his offerings. Enter the discount code BRITCOM at the checkout to get 10% off. View catalogue
Features
Live tours
You can find details on well over 100 tours via our website. Why not book to see a show in your nearest theatre? Tour tickets make for great presents too.
Kai Samra interview
Kai Samra lived rough around Soho; now his debut show gets a run at the Soho Theatre. Underclass also features at least one far-right leader and some unsavoury characters from the comedy business.
First Gig, Worst Gig: S***-faced Shakespeare
They throw a boozy spanner into the great Bard's works, but how did S***-faced Shakespeare begin their unique take on his oeuvre?
British Comedy Quiz #72
We predict you'll get a score of 6 on this quiz... prove us wrong (in the right way!)
Random 8: George Egg
Combining comedy and cookery again with new show Movable Feast, George Egg re-tells a food-based gag from which famous TV chef?
BCG Pro
We've lots of content for comedy writers, performers and producers to read on our BCG Pro site, including a look at how the new Shaun The Sheep film was directed.
Podcasts
The Worst Writer In The World is back for a new series. Meanwhile Michael Sheen is a guest on RHLSTP; and there's more laughs from Do The Right Thing.
TV listings
Plebs
This week the boys attempt to infiltrate a local firm of chariot hooligans in order to get some big drinkers into their bar.
Motherland
Julia finds that working from home is impossible due to all the other tasks loaded upon her. Meanwhile Liz finds herself at a loose end when her youngest starts nursery.
Dave Gorman: Terms And Conditions Apply
A new series from Dave Gorman. He's joined by guest comedians as he casts his eye over modern world discoveries.
Defending The Guilty
In the last episode in the series, Will is faced with a drug addict failed by an uncaring system. He's starting to wonder whether law is really for him.
Zomboat!
The gang arrive at the hotel where Sunny and Amar spent their stag weekend. Amar insists they check if their mates are alive.
Your Face Or Mine
This week's couple are both from Hertfordshire and share the same name, Charlie. One of them works as an estate agent, and the other is a pensions consultant.
Doc Martin
Martin investigates a shooting after local farmer Dennis Thorpe attacks Robert. Meanwhile, Emily returns to the surgery after her acne medication causes a bad reaction.
Taskmaster
Ed Gamble dons a baby's bonnet, Katy Wix makes Alex Horne wince and Rose Matafeo does a spot of screaming in this week's episode.
Russell Howard & Mum
Russell and Ninette are in Tokyo but, ignoring the usual tourist traps, they're heading underground and embracing the truly weird and wonderful side of the metropolis.
In The Long Run
Bagpipes feels threatened by Leon's arrival. Meanwhile, Valentine gets ripped off and Agnes and Kobna come to his aid.
Don't Hate The Playaz
Maya Jama, Keisha Buchanan and London Hughes go up against Lady Leshurr, Cariad Lloyd and Mist in the hip hop-centric panel show.
Comedians Giving Lectures
Sara Pascoe is joined by sketch trio Massive Dad, Russell Kane and Phil Wang for the latest set of educational lectures.
Pants On Fire
Mel B and Love Island's Kem Cetinay are on the jury this week for the comedy show in which contestants must claim they've completed some big challenges.
There's Something About Movies
Sky have been a little unclear about this week's line-up after swapping episodes around, but we expect to see Josh Widdicombe, Suzi Ruffell and film star Sean Bean joining the panels.
Celebrity Juice
Reality star Gemma Collins, Silent Witness actress Emilia Fox, presenter Denise Van Outen and Love Island's Maura Higgins join Keith, Holly and Mel B for more riotous games.
Frayed
Sarah Kendall's excellent new comedy continues. After a harsh realisation, Sammy aims to reclaim her worth by helping at the school disco. But the dance soon turns into a debacle.
Still Open All Hours
Granville's plan to open a new catering arm, offering his customers tasty toasties, doesn't quite go according to plan.
Have I Got News For You
Watchdog presenter Steph McGovern hosts the satirical quiz, as guests, comedian Miles Jupp and journalist Camilla Long, join Ian and Paul.
Would I Lie To You?
Victoria Coren Mitchell appears this week, resulting in some fun exchanges with her team captain husband. Clare Balding, Asim Chaudhry and Greg James are the other guests.
QI
Daliso Chaponda, Phill Jupitus and Cariad Lloyd are the guests this week. The title appears to be a bit of a cheat to fit the Q theme of the series: Qanimals.
The Last Leg
As part of Channel 4's annual Stand Up to Cancer campaign, Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker return, with guests including Kathy Burke.
The Graham Norton Show
Ross Noble is set to join Graham this Friday. He'll sit on the sofa alongside actors Jason Momoa, Emilia Clarke and Regina King. Camila Cabello performs.
Harry Hill's ClubNite
In this new late-night series, Harry Hill presents "a combination of controlled chaos and his favourite funny people on the planet".
The Jonathan Ross Show
It's a really packed sofa this weekend: Nish Kumar will appear alongside Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Liam Payne, Jonathan Van Ness and singer-songwriter Tom Walker. It's difficult to imagine how they'll all get a word in.
For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule.
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ClockwiseJohn Cleese stars in Michael Frayn's brilliant 1986 time-keeping farce. Completely restored and remastered from the original film negative in 4K, the classic comedy - also featuring Joan Hickson, Alison Steadman, Penelope Wilton and Geoffrey Palmer - will be available to own on DVD, download, and (for the first time) Blu-ray, from 18th November. To comprehensive secondary school head-teacher Brian Stimpson, punctuality is as necessary as oxygen: so when he is inadvertantly directed to board the wrong train en route to a prestigious headmaster's conference, manic chaos ensues. Hijacking school-skipping pupil Laura (Sharon Maiden) and her father's car, the pair embark on a madcap journey across the country, but it's not long before Mr Stimpson begins to lose his schoolmasterly poise... Special features include a new interview with playwright Frayn, whose classic stage farce Noises Off is currently enjoying a revival in the West End. |
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Sandi Toksvig - Between The StopsThis long-awaited memoir from one of Britain's best-loved celebrities - a writer, broadcaster, activist, comic on stage, screen and radio for nearly forty years, presenter of QI and Great British Bake Off star - is an autobiography with a difference: as only Sandi Toksvig can tell it. "Between The Stops is a sort of a memoir, my sort. It's about a bus trip really, because it's my view from the Number 12 bus (mostly top deck, the seat at the front on the right), a double-decker that plies its way from Dulwich, in South East London, where I was living, to where I sometimes work - at the BBC, in the heart of the capital. It's not a sensible way to write a memoir at all, probably, but it's the way things pop into your head as you travel, so it's my way." |
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Fantabulosa! - The Kenneth Williams StoryMichael Sheen OBE won the 2006 Royal Television Society best actor award for his heart-breaking portrayal of Kenneth Williams in this biopic. A consummate entertainer who was loved by everyone but himself, the film tells Williams's story from the intimacy of his diaries and other sources, creating a portrait of a fastidious performer who hankered after recognition, adulation and companionship throughout his career. Yet although he could create a thousand voices and characters, he was unable to live comfortably within his own skin. |
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Monty Python Sings (Again) - 50th Anniversary EditionTo celebrate 50 years since Monty Python's Flying Circus first aired on TV comes this reissue of the group's seminal album Monty Python Sings (Again), for the first time on vinyl. Made up of 32 classic songs from across Monty Python's illustrious career, the 2 LP set now also includes Stephen Hawking's 2015 version of the brilliant Galaxy Song. |
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Fleabag - The ScripturesGo deeper into the groundbreaking, Emmy-nominated series with this must-have collection of the complete Fleabag scripts, plus original commentary from award-winning creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
BBC iPlayer - Wasted on Some
Guz Khan, Natasia Demetriou and Kiell Smith-Bynoe are amongst the comics actors appearing in this series of sketches to promote BBC iPlayer.
Dominic Frisby: Two Black Eyes
A song from Dominic Frisby about why it isn't a good idea to mention Brexit. He's timed this video well!
Country Mile
Join Matt Dormant as he discovers the hidden treasures of Royal Crystal Palace Park, with a little help from special guest, John Surname.
Why is politics so polarised? with Maisie Adam
Maisie Adam discusses some of the problems of modern politics in the latest episode of this comedian-led BBC Three online series.
When RuPaul's Drag Race is LIFE
A series of sketches about loving RuPaul's Drag Race so much that it starts leaking into your life.
Star Baker
A Great British Bake Off contestant's dad can't believe that his daughter has won Star Baker.
A Serial Killer's Guide To Life - Trailer
The trailer for this new jet-black comedy thriller film. It's about a 30-something self-help addict who finds out her life coach is a serial killer.
StarDog And TurboCat - Trailer
A trailer for the new animated comedy featuring a voice cast including Nick Frost, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy. As the title suggests, it follows a superhero dog and cat duo.
The Invention of Cave Painting
A sketch from the podcast Peer Into The Past, turned into an animation. Oglok reveals his new invention of cave painting and how to woo women.
Charity Shop Sue
A new web series based on the popular character played by Selina Mosinski. Sue has big plans to get her charity shop on the map, but there's trouble in store.
Rosie Tries To Help - Men with Tom Allen
Worried that men (all of them) have issues with emotional honesty, Rosie Jones asks Tom Allen to help her bring out their sensitive side.
Candles
A "very serious drama about a dying relationship". Sometimes even when you love someone, the little things they do can cause everything to fall apart.
Jack Barry: Tango (ASMR stand-up)
Jack Barry performs his show Tango. This is believed to be the world's first full-length ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) stand-up special.
Spotlight
Stolen Assignment
Dating from 1955, this light comic-crime thriller follows a pair of journalists on the case of a missing wife who is soon found murdered. Newspaper crime reporter Mike faces challenges from both the investigating police inspector and his own colleague - society correspondent Jenny, bored of pointless tittle-tattle and keen to move on to proper journalism - in digging out the truth.
Directed by Hammer Horror legend Terence Fisher and based on an original novel, the film stars John Bentley, Hy Hazell and Joyce Carey, and is available to own on DVD.
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