Weekly Newsletter

Monday 29th March 2021

With Easter coming up this weekend, here's the latest from the world of comedy - not much new TV to enjoy though, sadly!

Latest comedy news

Shappi Khorsandi writes novel about teen sexual abuse, Kissing Emma

Shappi Khorsandi writes novel about teen sexual abuse, Kissing Emma

Shappi Khorsandi has written her second novel, a modern tale of sexual abuse that reimagines the life of Emma Hamilton, Lord Nelson's mistress. Kissing Emma, the stand-up's first young adult book, aimed at 12-15 year olds, will be published on 2nd September.

Jerk Series 2 begins filming

Jerk Series 2 begins filming

Filming has started on Series 2 of Jerk, the BBC Three sitcom starring Tim Renkow.

Chortle Awards names Legends Of Lockdown

Chortle Awards names Legends Of Lockdown

Fergus Craig, Mark Watson, Tim Key, Alex Horne, John Robertson, Marcus Brigstocke, Rachel Parris, Richard Herring, Robin Ince, Stevie Martin, Alistair Green, Janey Godley, Mark Olver, Archie Henderson, Catherine Bohart, Toussaint Douglass and Munya Chawawa are amongst those named Legends Of Lockdown in the Chortle Awards.

Comedian Leo Kearse to run for Scots Parliament

Comedian Leo Kearse to run for Scots Parliament

Award-winning comedian Leo Kearse is to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament in Glasgow, in protest at the SNP's "vague" and "authoritarian" Hate Crime Bill.

Billie Piper and Andrew Scott to star in Catherine, Called Birdy

Billie Piper and Andrew Scott to star in Catherine, Called Birdy

Billie Piper and Andrew Scott have joined the cast of Lena Dunham's medieval comedy film, Catherine, Called Birdy.

Emily Atack Show returns for Series 2

Emily Atack Show returns for Series 2

Emily Atack's self-titled sketch and stand-up series is to return to screens for a second series later this year.

The Skewer wins at BBC Audio Awards

The Skewer wins at BBC Audio Awards

The Skewer, The Musical Life Of..., David Threlfall, Christopher Douglas and Fraser Ayres were amongst the comedy-related winners in the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2021.

Motherland to be re-made in America

Motherland to be re-made in America

A project is underway to re-make BBC sitcom Motherland for American audiences.

Staged to arrive on BritBox with extended length episodes

Staged to arrive on BritBox with extended length episodes

The second series Staged is due to be published on streaming platform BritBox on 1st April with additional material included.

Trying to return to Apple TV+ for Series 3

Trying to return to Apple TV+ for Series 3

Trying, the Apple TV+ comedy series starring Rafe Spall and Esther Smith as a couple planning to adopt a baby, is to return for a third series. Meanwhile, the second series will be available to stream from 14th May.

Ken Dodd comedy drama in the works for ITV

Ken Dodd comedy drama in the works for ITV

Doddy, a comedy drama centred around Ken Dodd's 1989 trial for tax evasion, is in development for ITV.

Worzel Gummidge episodes filming this summer

Worzel Gummidge episodes filming this summer

Mackenzie Crook's Worzel Gummidge is resuming filming this summer.

James McNicholas to publish The Champ & The Chump book

James McNicholas to publish The Champ & The Chump book

Comedian James McNicholas is to publish The Champ & The Chump. Based on his hit live show, the book tells the real-life story of what happened when he retraced the footsteps of his boxing champion grandfather.

Bob Mortimer is to publish his autobiography

Bob Mortimer is to publish his autobiography

Bob Mortimer will publish his memoirs in September. And Away... is described as "warm, profound, and irrepressibly funny".

Douglas Adams archive book to be published

Douglas Adams archive book to be published

A book featuring extracts from Hitchhiker's Guide creator Douglas Adams's archive is to be published.

Julian Clary to publish autobiography The Lick Of Love

Julian Clary to publish autobiography The Lick Of Love

Julian Clary is to publish the second instalment of his memoirs in October, The Lick Of Love: How Dogs Changed My Life.

Advert

Comedy KARLnival

On Friday 2nd April, Karl Spain's Comedy KARLnival is live from 2 venues, in 2 cities (Galway & London) on 1 livestream show - with both venues sharing a virtual front row audience on big screens in front of their respective stages. Shappi Khorsandi, Angela Barnes & Barry Castagnola will be streamed live from a studio in London, and host, Karl Spain, will be joined in an empty Róisín Dubh, Galway by Emman Idama. Info & Tickets

Features

Comedy Rewind: Horrifying tales with Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

Comedy Rewind: Horrifying tales with Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

Join Garth Marenghi and his colleagues as they ward off evil at Darkplace Hospital...

First Gig, Worst Gig: Tim Key

First Gig, Worst Gig: Tim Key

He graced the Best Medicine Gala on Saturday and has birthed a lovely new book, but why did Tim Key once go Bubka-like in Kilkenny?

British Comedy Quiz #146

British Comedy Quiz #146

We predict you're going to get a score of 6 out of 10 this week? Let's see if we're right...

Random 8: Sarah Pearce

Random 8: Sarah Pearce

Comedian, therapist and co-founder of the Best Medicine Festival, Sarah Pearce talks triffids, trains and the origin of takeaways.

BCG Pro

BCG Pro

Our website for writers, performers and producers will celebrate its second birthday on Thursday. Across the last 24 months we've helped many members brush up their skillset, and generated many opportunities for them to have a stab at. If you've not discovered the platform yet, now's the perfect time to find out more.

Podcasts

Podcasts

A grumpy Jeremy Paxman appears on RHLSTP. There's also more from other podcasts we support, including The Worst Writer In The World, Sitcom Geeks and The Comedian's Comedian Podcast.

TV listings

The Stand Up Sketch Show

The Stand Up Sketch Show

Monday 10:05pm, ITV2

Luke Kempner, Rachel Jackson, Russell Kane, Dane Baptiste, Luke McQueen, Steen Raskopolous, Lily Phillips and Tom Parry appear in the last episode of the series.

Hypothetical

Hypothetical

Wednesday 10pm, Dave

Sue Perkins, Sara Pascoe, Dane Baptiste and Sindhu Vee are set to appear in this episode. It's another show finishing up this week.

Taskmaster

Taskmaster

Thursday 9pm, Channel 4

Lee Mack takes on an audacious hammer throw, Sarah Kendall makes sitting down memorable and Jamali Maddix forgets his passport.

Dating No Filter

Dating No Filter

Thursday 10pm, Sky One

Mica and Jake meet for the first time and take up a spot of aerial yoga for their first date. What could go wrong? Tom Allen, Suzi Ruffell, Judi Love and Munya Chawawa are on hand to find out.

Would I Lie To You?

Would I Lie To You?

Friday 9:30pm, BBC One

This must be the smallest TV section we've ever had in our newsletter - just five new shows this week, plus this new highlights episode showcasing the best rounds from the most recent series.

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

Friday 10:30pm, BBC One

Frank Skinner is set to appear this Friday. Also Intelligence stars David Schwimmer and Nick Mohammed, promoting the forthcoming second series. Plus Sharon Stone, Octavia Spencer, Melissa McCarthy, Michelle Visage and pop group Steps.

For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.

Shop

Nish Kumar - It's In Your Nature To Destroy Yourselves Part 1

Nish Kumar - It's In Your Nature To Destroy Yourselves Part 1

Out now. Audio Download

Recorded live at the Duchess Theatre, London on 12th December 2016, this is Actions Speak Louder Than Words... Unless You Shout The Words Real Loud, the show that Nish Kumar performed in Edinburgh and then on tour that year, culminating in this performance. It's about gentrification, history and the rise of the far right, and what happened to him on Brexit vote night.

Released last week as an audio download, the stand-up album entered the official album download charts over the weekend at #21. A second volume is also available.

Matt Lucas - My Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly Book Of Pranks

Matt Lucas - My Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly Book Of Pranks

Pre-order. Paperback, eBook

A "hilarious" new book of pranks from multi-award-winning actor and comedian Matt Lucas, with laugh-out-loud artwork from Sarah Horne, illustrator of the bestselling Charlie Changes Into A Chicken.

The publishers boast: "Do you love to make your friends and family laugh? Thought so! There is nothing like a prank for putting smiles on everyone's faces. So come on and get creative ... Discover super silly pranks to play at home, clever pranks to play when you're out and about, the most hair-raising hoaxes of all time, epic prank fails, the world's greatest pranksters ... and much, much more. Look no further for hours of family-friendly fun and creativity!"

Blithe Spirit

Blithe Spirit

Pre-order. Blu-ray, DVD

The new feature film adaptation of Noël Coward's much-loved play.

Best-selling crime novelist Charles (Dan Stevens) is struggling with catastrophic writer's block and a stressful deadline for his first screenplay, whilst his picture perfect second wife Ruth (Isla Fisher) is doing her best to keep him focussed in the hope of fulfilling her dream of heading to Hollywood. Charles's desperate search for inspiration leads him to invite Madame Arcati (Judi Dench), a medium recently exposed as a fraud, to perform a séance in their home.

However, they all get more than they bargained for when Arcati accidentally summons the spirit of his deceased first wife: the fiery and jealous Elvira (Leslie Mann), who embarks on a mission to kill Charles so she can spend eternity with him - leading to an increasingly comical and deadly love triangle!

Skeletons In The Cupboard - Series 1 & 2

Skeletons In The Cupboard - Series 1 & 2

Pre-order. Audio Download

Alison Steadman, Morwenna Banks and Nigel Planer star in this tale of two sisters - and a mysterious stranger.

Not long after their mother's death, sisters Maureen and Lesley are packing up their family home. Then a strange man knocks at the door and introduces himself as David Johnson, a friend of Maureen's neighbour. He'd like to view the house if they are thinking of selling - which Maureen definitely is. But Lesley has other ideas and, behind Maureen's back, offers David their mother's old bedroom as a pied-a-terre. Gradually, he forces his way into the sisters' lives, turning up at inopportune moments and constantly getting in their hair. As they both become increasingly fed up with him, Maureen and Lesley put aside their differences and unite to try and find out exactly who this David Johnson is, and what he is hiding. But when his secret is finally revealed, the sisters are in for a shock. The situation is about to get really out of hand...

Frank Skinner - A Comedian's Prayer Book

Frank Skinner - A Comedian's Prayer Book

Pre-order. Hardback, eBook, Audiobook

A Comedian's Prayer Book. The title is a worry, isn't it?...

God is a tough audience as far as audible response is concerned, but at least you don't have to explain the references. In this collection of prayers, much-loved comedian, broadcaster and radio host Frank Skinner has tried to retain the bare candour of the rehearsal-room improvisation - to show what faith feels like, from the inside - but infused it with all the production values required to make it a passable public entertainment.

In it are his convictions, his questions, his fears, his doubts, his elations - all presented in an eavesdropper-friendly form. Hell, Judgement, atheism, money, faith and the X-Men all feature: it's a bit like reading the Bible, except you only get one side of the conversation, and all the jokes are left in.

For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.

Comedy videos

#NotAllWomen

#NotAllWomen

There have been a lot of accusations and generalisations thrown about recently, which is why it's important to take a moment to remember that we are not all the same.

My BMI (Baby)

My BMI (Baby)

Ashley Frieze's song about long term weight problems.

Gently Does It

Gently Does It

A sketch by the comedy group The Noise Next Door about a bike rider... one who is scared to get up any speed.

Self Tape Audition for Cocaine Bear

Self Tape Audition for Cocaine Bear

Katie Pritchard auditions to be some cocaine.

New Club Moves for 2021

New Club Moves for 2021

What dance moves will you be seeing on the floor when clubs re-open this summer?

Every time you try and go on a website

Every time you try and go on a website

"But, sir, I just want to look at recipes."

The Treason TV Show - Episode Four

The Treason TV Show - Episode Four

Protest bills, Meghan and Harry, Line Of Duty returns, Icelandic volcanos and Priti Patel get the satirical treatment in this sketch show.

Adventure Brothers - Adventure Brothers and the Mountain Of Fire

Adventure Brothers - Adventure Brothers and The Mountain Of Fire

Paul and James set off to complete the adventure that is The Mountain Of Fire; an unfinished, heavily plagiarised mess of a story once unsuccessfully penned by James as a child. We feel they may have stuck in some innuendo.

Who Said That? - Episode 28

Who Said That? - Episode 28

Angela Barnes, Stuart Laws, Brennan Reece and Katie Pritchard play the panel game hosted by Mark Olver.

Spotlight

Doctor In The House

Doctor In The House

With yesterday having marked the 100th anniversary of star Sir Dirk Bogarde's birth, it's apposite to look at his best-known comedy work: starring in the first of the smash hit series of Doctor films. Produced at Pinewood Studios by Betty E. Box and released by Rank, the the seven films - of which Dirk featured in four - were based on Richard Gordon's autobiographically-inspired, equally smash hit series of comic novels, also adapted by LWT for a long-running series of hit TV sitcoms. The first (in books, films and TV) was Doctor In The House, with the feature co-starring the likes of Kenneth More and Donald Sinden as Simon Sparrow's fellow students at St. Swithin's teaching hospital. For various reasons none are too keen to graduate and pass into the real world, but that's about to change - with comic misadventures aplenty. A box set of all seven titles is currently just £12.99 at Amazon.

Thanks for reading

Matthew Alford has won the latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition on the topic of "history":

Those who do not learn the lessons of History are doomed to repeat it. Quite right. It took me three times to pass my GCSE.

We hope you have a lovely Easter break. We'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday 6th.

British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk

BCG on social media:
Twitter   Facebook   Instagram