Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 8th August 2022 |
Latest comedy news
Bad Education Series 4 first look and cast announced
A first look teaser image for the upcoming, revived fourth series of BBC Three sitcom Bad Education has been released, along with more details about the series' return and its new cast.
Jayde Adams joins Strictly 2022
Comedian Jayde Adams has been announced as one of the participants in this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Jordan Gray gets ITV sitcom and Radio 4 series
Transgender comedian Jordan Gray is writing and starring in Transaction, an ITV sitcom about a supermarket worker in which she appears alongside Nick Frost and Thomas Gray. The stand-up is also making a Radio 4 series that imagines what would have happened if she'd continued her singing career after appearing on The Voice in 2016.
BBC Radio Scotland orders satirical sketch show Noising Up
BBC Radio Scotland has ordered satirical sketch show Noising Up, starring stand-up Stephen Buchanan and Scot Squad's Karen Bartke and Manjot Sumal, with an open submission policy for aspirant writers.
Mock The Week cancelled by the BBC after 17 years on air
The BBC has announced that after 17 years on air, Mock The Week is to end. The forthcoming autumn run will be the show's final episodes.
New Dave sitcom pilots, first images
The broadcast dates and first images for new Dave pilots The Other Half, Dead Canny, Holier Than Thou and Perfect have been revealed.
Advert
Tom Mayhew is at the Edinburgh Fringe with his new show Trash Rich. 'Genuine, powerful, political stuff' **** Scotsman. 'Funny, sharp, intelligent, meaningful and pleasing. Mayhew is a voice that needs to be heard' **** Chortle. 'Passionate, articulate and – above all else – hilarious' **** Skinny. Info & tickets
Features
Edinburgh Festival website
From hairy cakes to dodgy pens, there's all kinds of things to read about on our Edinburgh Fringe site. We have news, listings, interviews and reviews across more than 2,000 pages of content.
First Gig, Worst Gig: Markus Birdman
Back at the Edinburgh Fringe with a dramatic new show, Markus Birdman wings us through his gig history.
British Comedy Quiz #214
This time: Ken Dodd's diddymen, The Liver Birds, The Spanish Inquisition, and more.
Random 8: Crizards
Moseying into Edinburgh with Cowboys, Crizards recount a sinister Bugs, warm Blunkett and a bad belly laugh.
TV listings
Big Zuu's Big Eats
This week the boys are heading to Hull, the hometown of comedy boss Lucy Beaumont.
The Fringe, Fame And Me
A documentary about the Edinburgh festival. Eddie Izzard, Bill Bailey, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Michael Palin and Frankie Boyle are amongst the main contributors. (If you're not in Scotland, you can find it on BBC iPlayer, or watch on BBC Two on Wednesday at 9pm.)
Asian Network Comedy
Nikita Kanda and Mistah Islah present stand-up routines from Preet Singh, Tej Dhutia and Noreen Khan as Asian Network comedy hits Glee Club, Birmingham.
Breeders
Paul is forced by his new boss to make funding cuts. After Ally's attempt to impress Ava, she tells Paul some home truths.
The Baby
The two final episodes of the comic horror series. Will Natasha and the baby exit the series in an OK way?
Code 404
Two more episodes. As the body count rises, Carver and McAllister have no choice but to follow the clues and play the killer's twisted game.
Edinburgh Unlocked
The documentary series hosted by Mark Nelson returns for a new run linking with the August festival. Features include first-time comedian Eunice Olumide seeking out some of the Fringe's most famous alumni, who can't stop returning.
Trying
Jason makes a huge sacrifice for Tyler, Nikki attempts some tough love with Princess, and Freddy tries a different sort of group therapy.
8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown
Jimmy Carr, Rachel Riley, Susie Dent and Jon Richardson are joined by Jo Brand, Joe Wilkinson and Jamali Maddix. Rachel Parris is in Dictionary Corner.
Secrets & Scandals Of The Good Life
The latest episode in Channel 5's documentary strand takes a look at the much-loved 70s sitcom The Good Life. Revelations include how the special Royal episode was almost derailed by a dog.
The Last Leg
Clara Amfo and Asim Chaudhry are the guests booked for this week's live episode of the topical comedy show.
Ministry Of Offence
With politics well and truly in the traditional summer 'silly season' now, host and Mash Report alumnus Steve N Allen is joined by left-wing team captain Diane Spencer and right-wing captain Leo Kearse, to make fun of the latest headlines.
Ken Dodd: 30 Funniest Moments
A celebration of the comedian, who was was embraced by the emerging TV age, while always keeping alive the old-school comedy of the variety circuit.
Marriage
A new comedy drama from the writer of Mum. This four-part series sees Nicola Walker and Sean Bean playing a couple who have been together for more than 30 years. The trailer on our website will give you a flavour of the show. Episode 2 follows on Monday night.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
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Kevin Bridges - The Black DogA new novel from Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges. Declan dreams of becoming a writer. It's a dream that helps him escape the realities of his life - going through the motions at college and stacking supermarket shelves part-time, whilst fighting a battle with the ever-darkening thoughts in his head. But following a drunken row with local gangsters, Declan's worries threaten to spiral out of control. James Cavani - Declan's idol and his hometown's claim to fame - is a renowned writer, director and actor. But despite his success, his past hasn't relinquished its hold of him, and through his younger sister's battle with drug addiction, he finds himself returning to a world he thought he had escaped. At face value, their lives couldn't be more different, but perhaps fate has a way of bringing kindred spirits together - and perhaps each holds the other's redemption in their hands. |
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Vice VersaRoger Livesey and a very young Anthony Newley star as a Victorian father and son. Written and directed by filmmaker, wit and raconteur Peter Ustinov, based on a popular Victorian novel, Vice Versa is featured here as a brand new high definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio. During a heart-to-heart with his son, pompous businessman Paul Bultitude envies his schoolboy son Dick's youth, while Dick wishes he were grown up. They both get what they wish for when, magically, the son becomes the father (and vice versa) - a situation that soon causes consternation and uproar! |
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Monty Python's The Meaning Of LifeThe Pythons' final feature film is the first to get the UHD treatment, as the fantastic The Meaning Of Life - packed with wickedly funny musical numbers in particular - is released on 4K Blu-ray next month, with a variety of extra features. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin return to explain The Meaning Of Life. The gang offer their usual tasteful sketches involving favourite body parts and bodily functions, the wonders of war, the miracle of birth and a special preview of what's waiting for us in Heaven. You'll never look at life in quite the same way again! |
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Party's OverA very timely release for the complete Series 1 and 2 of this "sparkling" political radio sitcom. What happens when a Prime Minister suddenly stops being Prime Minister? That's the question facing Henry Tobin - Britain's least popular, shortest-serving post-war PM, who's forced into retirement 30 years early after a bruising election defeat. But he's not going to let failure crush his spirits. Instead, he plans to pick himself up, repair his battered reputation and make his name in some other field - though he's not quite sure what that will be... |
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Konstantin Kisin - An Immigrant's Love Letter To The WestFor all of the West's failings - terrible food, cold weather, and questionable politicians with funny hair to name a few - it has its upsides. Konstantin would know. Growing up in the Soviet Union, he experienced first-hand the horrors of a socialist paradise gone wrong, having lived in extreme poverty with little access to even the most basic of necessities. It wasn't until he moved to the UK that Kisin found himself thriving in an open and tolerant society, receiving countless opportunities he would never have had otherwise. "Funny, provocative and unswervingly perceptive," An Immigrant's Love letter To The West interrogates the developing sense of self-loathing the Western sphere has adopted and offers an alternative perspective. Exploring race politics, free speech, immigration and more, podcaster and comedian Kisin argues that wrongdoing and guilt need not pervade how we feel about the West - and Britain - today, and that despite all its ups and downs, it remains one of the best places to live in the world. After all, if an immigrant can't publicly profess their appreciation for this country, who can? |
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Arthur Smith's Balham BashWelcome to Arthur Smith's 26-bedroom mock-Tudor manor house, in the heart of international Balham. Behind his front door are a plethora of prodigiously talented performers, all ready and eager to entertain. There's jamming in the kitchen, laughter in the lounge and poetry on the landing - and a whole lot more fun and frolics going on upstairs... Among Arthur's very special house guests are comedians Pippa Evans (as Loretta Maine), Milton Jones, Stephen K Amos, Micky Flanagan, Stewart Lee, Richard Herring, Andrew Lawrence, Tom Wrigglesworth, Jenny Eclair, Sean Lock and Kevin Eldon. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
50 Fringe Shows in 5 Minutes
50 Edinburgh Fringe shows brought to you in 5 minutes by Lucy Farrett.
Little Spoon
To all those men who still conform to the male gender stereotype, this parody song, written by comedy act Shelf, is for you...
Razor Sharp - Guz Khan & Remi Burgz
In the latest episode of Channel 4's online comic challenge show, Guz Khan and Remi Burgz become cryptocurrency experts... or not.
Code 404 - Series 3 Bloopers
Some of the bits that didn't make it into the final edit.
Comedy Central Live - Emmanuel Sonubi
Emmanuel Sonubi attempts to bulk buy hand sanitiser, and talks about checking fake IDs and doing comedy on cruise ships.
Spotlight
Hang Ups
Despite being only four years old, we have to admit we'd almost forgotten about this single-series sitcom starring Stephen Mangan, who also wrote the six episodes with his brother-in-law, acclaimed theatre director Robert Delamere. Playing a therapist whose own life isn't going so well and who's had to take to seeing clients via webcam, a frankly stonking ensemble cast joined him for the show, including Katherine Parkinson, Jessica Hynes, Richard E. Grant, Charles Dance, Celia Imrie and Paul Ritter. Airing on Channel 4, it's also been released on DVD.
Thanks for reading
Robert Vogel won the BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition about zoos:
I saw a loaf in a cage at the zoo. They said it was bread in captivity.
Even if you're not in Scotland, you should find plenty of interesting and amusing things to read via our Edinburgh Fringe website.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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