Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 7th February 2022 |
A number of new series start on TV this week. As ever, we've all of those details, and much more, below.
Latest comedy news
Deep Heat wrestling sitcom coming to ITV2
Deep Heat, a new sitcom focused on the world of wrestling, is coming to ITV2.
Adam Kay to publish second memoir
Adam Kay is to publish an autobiography in September titled Undoctored: The Story Of A Medic Who Ran Out Of Patients. It will focus on what's happened in his life since he stopped working as a doctor.
Omid Djalili pilots BBC chat show in English and Farsi
Omid Djalili is piloting a chat show for the BBC. The Anglo-Iranian comedian has shot two versions of Tonight With Omid, one for BBC Persian in Farsi and another in English that producers are aiming at BBC Two.
Charlie Brooker interactive cartoon Cat Burglar coming to Netflix
Charlie Brooker has created an "interactive trivia cartoon" for Netflix. Inspired by the artistic style of Tex Avery (Looney Tunes), Cat Burglar launches on 22nd February 2022.
Shopping With Keith Lemon Series 3 confirmed
ITV2 has ordered a third series of Shopping With Keith Lemon, and confirmed that Celebrity Juice will return to the channel too.
The Emily Atack Show to return for Series 3
ITV2 has ordered a third series of Emily Atack's TV show, which mixes sketches and stand-up segments.
Pope Lonergan slams treatment of carers as he publishes memoir
Comedian and former care worker Pope Lonergan has blasted the treatment of care home staff during the coronavirus pandemic, as he launches his memoir about working in the sector, I'll Die After Bingo.
Adam Deacon film Sumotherhood to feature top comedy cast
Jennifer Saunders, Peter Serafinowicz, London Hughes and Ed Sheeran have joined the cast of Adam Deacon's action comedy Sumotherhood, as production on the film gets under way in London.
Features
This Is Going To Hurt: Adam Kay and Ben Whishaw interviews
Adam Kay talks about bringing his hospital-based stories to the screen, and Ben Whishaw discusses taking on the lead role in this highly anticipated comedy drama.
Mel Giedroyc and Lou Sanders interview
Mel Giedroyc and Lou Sanders talk about returning for Series 2 of the Dave panel show, which sees guests revealing secrets and sins.
The Curse interviews
Tom Davis, Allan Mustafa, Hugo Chegwin, Steve Stamp, Emer Kenny and director James De Frond talk about creating The Curse.
Comedy Chronicles: Barry Cryer, the Master Craftsman
The UK's premier comedy biographer, Graham McCann pays tribute to the late, great Barry Cryer after his death at the end of January.
British Comedy Quiz #188
Do you think you'd recognise Alan Partridge's signature? Plus, do you know how many films were in the Confessions... series? Let's find out...
Random 8: Jackie Weaver
Ahead of hoping to maintain control of The Comedians' Council at live shows yesterday, Jackie Weaver recalled the most memorable party/work event she ever went to.
TV listings
Guessable?
Sara Pascoe, alongside captains Alan Davies and Darren Harriott and sidekick John Kearns, welcomes comics Lucy Beaumont, Ivo Graham, Rachel Parris and RuPaul's Drag Race star The Vivienne into the Comedy Central loft.
Starstruck
Series 2 of Rose Matafeo's comedy. Jessie and Tom spend the day in London, but her decision to stay sends her spiralling as she deals with the real world consequences of her grand gesture.
The Stand Up Sketch Show
Routines by comedians including Dane Baptiste, Bobby Mair, Sikisa, Larry Dean, Russell Kane, Jayde Adams, Travis Jay and Seann Walsh are reconstructed as sketches.
This Is Going To Hurt
A comedy drama based on the book by Adam Kay. It focuses on an NHS labour ward, "with all its hilarity and heart-lifting highs but also its gut-wrenching lows". Adam manages to get out of work on time to attend his best friend's stag do, but is immediately called back to the hospital.
Cheaters
After their flight from Finland is delayed, strangers Josh and Fola end up getting drunk and sleeping together, unbeknownst to their partners back home. The first three short episodes of this new 18-part comedy are on this week, the first before the News, then two more after.
Toast Of Tinseltown
The final episode in the series. Toast is looking forward to being on the set of the new Star Wars movie but things soon become complicated when he is kidnapped by two inept criminals.
Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable
Mel and her dishonourable assistant Lou Sanders are joined by Sarah Millican, Jamali Maddix and Chris McCausland for the first episode in a new series of the panel show.
Lazy Susan
More sketches from Freya Parker and Celeste Dring. The whole series is on BBC iPlayer if you don't want to wait.
The Tuckers
Glyn's new love throws him into a tailspin. Bobby's desperate for some 'alone time' with Lush and Natalie has a big secret.
The Mind Of Herbert Clunkerdunk
It's Herbert's anniversary and he is determined to get his wife Bobby the perfect present. Later, he lands his dream audition, to act in the theatre, but his angry tooth starts rapping and has to be destroyed.
Martin Fishback
A pilot starring Fergus Craig as an aspiring novelist. Put on the spot by an incompetent police officer, Martin settles on writing a detective crime thriller.
Screw
The final episode. As Long Marsh comes under the spotlight, life on the tense and paranoid C Wing is altered forever - and everyone is a suspect.
Would I Lie To You?
Rapper Lady Leshurr, author Philippa Perry, broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh and comedian Mike Wozniak join host Rob Brydon and regular captains David Mitchell and Lee Mack on the panel show.
8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown
This is going to be a poignant episode. In his final appearance, the late Sean Lock is joined by Harry Hill as they take on Jon Richardson and Rosie Jones. Mr Swallow, aka Nick Mohammed, is in Dictionary Corner.
QI
Ahir Shah, Sara Pascoe and Suzi Ruffell appear in a new episode of the panel game, which has the title 'Sexed-Up'. As has been the case of the last few weeks, it's actually the 45 minute XL version being broadcast first.
Dating No Filter
Series 2 of the show in which comedians observe people on dates. Lloyd and Daisie take a punt at a date - literally - as they try their hand at punting on a river date. Then it's the turn of Martin and Josh, who will attempt to showcase their best sides as they take on a cake baking class.
The Last Leg
This topical programme has finally taken new publicity photos, which shows the three stars looking up-to-date, age wise.
The Graham Norton Show
Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent will be on the show to talk about new comedy film The Duke. Also; Adele, Golda Rosheuvel and George Ezra.
The John Bishop Show
John Bishop is preparing for some more light-hearted chat this weekend. No news yet on the guests, but we will update the website when they've been announced.
The Curse
Episode 2, and news of the robbery we saw in the last episode has now spread fast and wide. The full series is on All 4 if you want to race ahead to see how it ends.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
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Jimmy Carr - Before & LaughterNo doubt you'll have seen the media furore over a Jimmy Carr gag in the past week. Out on 12th May in paperback, and already available in hardback, eBook and audiobook formats, is his Sunday Times best-selling memoir Before & Laughter. Published in September, he explains his approach to comedy and how it changed his life, going from a boring, dead-end job in his mid-20s to stardom today through the pursuit of happiness. There's plenty to learn from and think about. |
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Spitting Image - Series 1-12A milestone in television comedy, Spitting Image lifted satire to a new level for over a decade throughout the 1980s and '90s. From a huge range of writing and performing talent - including Richard Curtis, Kate Robbins, Chris Barrie, Harry Enfield, John Sessions, Ian Hislop and Jack Doherty - it defined a wide selection of politicians and celebrities in the public mind: but far from harming them, often positively helped how they were perceived! Despite its title, this new 16-disc box set brings together the first ten outrageously funny series of this exceptionally topical, BAFTA-winning hit show. |
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Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators - Series FourThe fourth series of the hit comedy drama begins next Monday (14th February) on BBC One. Starring Jo Joyner & Mark Benton and combining corpses, comedy and cracking mysteries, this quirky crime series has won the hearts of over 200 countries, and will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in March. Now that Lu has passed her private investigator exams and Frank's tidied himself up a bit, there's no stopping them. But murder, kidnap, blackmail and infidelity still abound in the pretty tourist town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Welcome to the birthplace of the Bard, where low-life criminals get caught up in deliciously high drama. |
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Mel Giedroyc - The Best ThingsWarm, funny, life-affirming and true, The Best Things is the joyous debut novel from much-loved comedian, writer, actor and presenter Mel Giedroyc. It's the story of a family who lose everything, only to find themselves, and each other, along the way. Sally and Frank Parker have it all. Then one day, because of Frank, they don't. As the bailiffs move in and the money runs out, Sally realises that she and her children don't have a clue about how to survive. Or do they? The Parkers are about to discover that the best things in life aren't things at all. |
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One For The RoadFour men with little in common, other than their attendance of an alcohol rehabilitation course, bond over their love of booze at a nearby pub between sessions. Between pints and bouts of delusion and depression, three of the men hatch a plan to get money out of the fourth - a mansion-dwelling millionaire played by the great Hywel Bennett (Shelley) in his final feature film role. A darkly comic satire on male fragility, Chris Cooke's One For The Road is one of the great, unsung British films of the twenty-first century. Made in Nottingham using early digital cameras - utilising a beer-soaked, cigarette-stained palette - it avoids the clichés associated with British cinema and embraces the do-anything nature of its chosen format to become its own, distinct work. This limited edition, world premiere Blu-ray release is produced from a new high definition restoration of the film, complete with its original 5.1 surround sound and 2.0 stereo audio tracks, and comes packed with a wide selection of extra features. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
East Mode With Nigel Ng
A new sketch show for Comedy Central's online platforms. This first episode focuses on a ruthless gang of misfits planning a heist to get their hands on some very special (and free) items.
Poo From Your Loo
A slightly surreal sketch from comedy creators Uncle Shortbread. Will Arthur tell the truth about what he was doing in the loo?
Sending a work email
How do you start a business email? Stevie Martin and Lola-Rose Maxwell work things out in their latest sketch.
U.F.O.
A short film starring Sam Nicoresti. He has been trying to get abducted by aliens for the last 5 years and the approach of Comet Halstrom 746-B might be the opportunity he's been waiting for.
Red Nose Day 2022 - Leaked Audition Tapes
Familiar faces try to audition to be part of a new film around the launch of Red Nose Day 2022, which returns on Friday 18th March.
Comedy Central Live - Kuan-wen Huang
Taiwanese stand-up Kuan-wen Huang talks about data breaches and being mistaken for an academic.
The Easiest Way to Make a Pension
Is it practical? Yes. Is it legal? No. Who would suspect these innocent looking pensioners would be capable of robbing a bank?!
Spotlight
All For Mary
Co-starring Disney legend David Tomlinson (Mary Poppins, Bedknobs & Broomsticks), this British comedy from the mid-fifties follows a pair of singleton skiers from London who get off on the wrong foot before falling for the same woman at their Swiss hotel. A very early colour film (made by Rank at Pinewood Studios), it also stars Nigel Patrick, Kathleen Harrison and Jill Day, whilst Lionel Jeffries puts in an appearance. This charming feature is available now on DVD.
Thanks for reading
Philip Simon has won the latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition on the topic of "farmers":
My mate's a farmer who listed his favourite plots of land in an Excel spreadsheet. I remember when it were nowt but fields.
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