Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 21st November 2022 |
Latest comedy news
Joe Lycett admits he didn't shred real money in David Beckham stunt
Joe Lycett has admitted that he didn't shred any real money in his stunt that was livestreamed on Sunday.
The Mind Of Herbert Clunkerdunk cancelled
The Mind Of Herbert Clunkerdunk, the comedy series created by and starring Spencer Jones, has been dropped by the BBC after two series.
Kenneth Williams to be profiled in new documentary film
New documentary film The Last Years Of Kenneth Williams will profile the final ten years of the comedy star's life, with all four beneficiaries of his last will and testament set to appear on screen for the first time.
Kate & Koji axed after two series
ITV has cancelled its café set sitcom Kate & Koji after two series.
Kunt reveals third attempt for Christmas No. 1
Controversial comedy singer Kunt has revealed a third attempt to reach number one in the festive music charts.
Munya Chawawa's first live tour
Comedian and social media star Munya Chawawa has announced his debut live tour, taking place in October 2023.
Romesh Ranganathan to pilot new entertainment show with his mum
The Romesh Ranganathan Show will feature the comedian and his mum presenting guests, games and music.
David Tennant and Michael Sheen return for Staged Series 3
Staged, the sitcom starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen, is to return for a third series, this time on BritBox.
FYI
Plus: Josh Jones lands Channel 4 toilet chat show V.I.Pees; Comedians front Two Truths And A Lie refugee quiz; Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award created; Deep Fake Neighbour Wars preview revealed; Sarah Keyworth's Are You A Boy Or A Girl? returning to Radio 4 and Morecambe & Wise join Sky Christmas comedy with Jo Brand & Nish Kumar.
Features
Comedy Chronicles: Michael Bentine - A Goon who should not be forgotten
In his centenary year, Comedy Chronicles addresses the remarkable and often-overlooked legacy and career of the multi-talented, fascinating Michael Bentine, co-creator of The Goon Show.
Wordy tribute celebrates Golden Age talents in BBC's centenary year
Three actors, one script and dozens of names! The Golden Age of British Comedy is honoured in the first of six audio instalments.
Rogue Pun: Die Hard with a Rhyming Sentence
As he takes the brilliant Yippee Ki Yay around the UK, we ask Richard Marsh: how did a poet end up doing Die Hard?
Here's A Funny Thing: Channel 4
Forty years since it was broadcast - during Channel 4's first month on air - we look at its production of Here's A Funny Thing, a hit one-man stage play about legendary music hall comic Max Miller, who was born on this date in 1894.
Win a restored copy of We Joined The Navy on Blu-ray or DVD
Restored and available in high definition for the first time comes this star-studded naval comedy from the early 1960s, directed by influential female film maker Wendy Toye.
British Comedy Quiz #229
The Vicar Of Dibley, The Darling Buds Of May, Julian Clary and Brass Eye are mentioned this week... but who is Frederick Fowell?
Random 8: The Awkward Silence
As they prepare to Enter the Vortex, The Awkward Silence take us back to water rat reverence and the battle of Rylance/Bottom.
Andy Zaltzman interview
The man with the wittiest shed in sport and politics, Andy Zaltzman talks hasty rewrites, mourning comedy, and why he's hiding a giant wooden duck.
TV listings
Louis Theroux Interviews... Katherine Ryan
Katherine Ryan is the subject of the latest Louis Theroux interview series this week. The "no-holds-barred conversation" takes in her life and her comedy.
Upright
Series 2 of Tim Minchin's Australian-set comedy drama. This time Lucky and Meg trade the desert for the steamy tropics of Far North Queensland on a new mission.
Frankie Boyle's New World Order
Frankie Boyle returns to help make sense of this disconcerting time, with Desiree Burch, Sophie Duker, Josie Long and Thanyia Moore.
Don't Hate The Playaz
Jordan Stephens hosts as Darren Harriott, Eddie Kadi, Yinka Bokinni and Nella Rose join captains Maya Jama and Lady Leshurr to compete in rap battles, dance-offs and hip-hop karaoke challenges.
Outsiders
There are some surprise visitors to camp today as David Mitchell challenges the six comedians to put their music skills to the test by composing a fanfare and to teach a group of children about the world in the 'before times' with their revised curriculum.
Two Doors Down
There's great excitement as Colin introduces the neighbours to his new partner, Anne Marie. But the gang are quickly taken aback by her enthusiastic approach to the dinner party.
The Scotts
Laura is loving life working in her cafe. Until one regular customer just happens to be the spitting image of her free pass - a Hollywood heartthrob.
Staged
As you may have read from our news story above, David Tennant and Michael Sheen have quietly been working on a third series of their sitcom. There are a couple of changes though: they have moved on from lockdown and returned to their everyday working life, and you'll now need a BritBox subscription to watch, as it is no longer a BBC show.
Taskmaster
It's the penultimate episode of the series. John Kearns blunts the business end of a sausage, Fern Brady struggles with a raspberry, and Munya Chawawa unwittingly forces Sarah Millican into finding a novel use for a ping-pong ball.
The Horne Section TV Show
Alex Horne and The Horne Section are still trying to make their TV show in Alex's house. Dr Ranj Singh stars as the special guest in Episode 3, whilst Episode 4 sees Alex instructed to be more edgy.
The Russell Howard Hour
It's back to a 10pm slot for Russell Howard now (although still not an hour). Although it's not been recorded yet, we can guess one of the major topics: Qatar.
QI
Marking the BBC's one hundredth birthday, Sandi Toksvig and Alan Davies are joined by Zoe Lyons, Greg James, Richard Osman and extra special guest Basil Brush.
The Last Leg
Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker are set to be joined by guests Richard Ayoade and Susan Wokoma this week.
The Graham Norton Show
John Bishop and Sir Ian McKellen are an unlikely double-act booking, but they'll appear together this Friday to promote the Mother Goose panto. Also: Daniel Craig, Emma Thompson, Clive Myrie and Charlie Puth.
How This Blind Girl...
Across three five minute episodes airing on BBC Two Wales this Friday (and on iPlayer for all), we'll meet Ceri, a young, visually impaired woman with a love life that has badly stalled.
The Big Narstie Show
The grime MC and co-host Mo Gilligan are joined by Joel Dommett, football legend Adebayo Akinfenwa, martial artist Samurider, TV royalty Denise Van Outen and presenter Brenda Edwards for more music and chat.
The Jonathan Ross Show
David Walliams is set to appear this Saturday. Slightly awkward timing for him, given the negative press he's had, having been caught on mic being rude to Britain's Got Talent contestants. Will Ross broach the topic? Also: Kate Hudson, Joan Armatrading and Stormzy.
The Larkins
When Norma confesses to her that Pop was set up by the Jerebohms, Ma organises her own sting operation and it is comeuppance time for the Vicar, Alec Norman and the Jerebohms as revenge is a dish best served cold.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
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Plebs - Complete CollectionPlebs, the hilarious period ITV2 sitcom, follows three desperate young men from the edge of the Empire as they try to get laid, hold down jobs and climb the social ladder in the big city - a city that happens to be Ancient Rome. This brand new box set includes all five series of the comedy and the new feature-length finale special, Soldiers Of Rome, as Marcus (Tom Rosenthal), Stylax (Joel Fry), lazy servant Grumio (Ryan Sampson) and Jason (Jonathan Pointing) are variously hindered and helped by Landlord (Karl Theobold), their ruthless bosses (Doon Mackichan and Robert Lindsay), 'Water Boy' (Tom Basden), and neighbours. A host of guest stars, including Danny Dyer, Maureen Lipman, Simon Callow, Shaun Williamson, Lauren Socha, Tim Key, James Fleet, Michelle Keegan, Miriam Margolyes and Brian Murphy complete the wonderful casts. |
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Tommy Cooper At ITVWith his uniquely chaotic blend of fluffed magic and lame jokes, Tommy Cooper was a constant and instantly recognisable presence on television for four decades. A firm favourite with the public, his variety shows were always eagerly awaited - Eric Sykes hailed Tommy Cooper as the "funniest man in the world", so it's hardly surprising that it was noted "he only had to walk on stage to cause hysterics"! Cooper made a plethora of shows during that time, and this special set contains all the existing shows he starred in for ITV. They feature a veritable galaxy of guest stars, including Richard Briers, Arthur Lowe, Warren Mitchell, June Whitfield, Patricia Hayes, Bernard Cribbins, Patrick Cargill, Michael Bentine, Thora Hird, Diana Dors, Eric Sykes, Liz Fraser and Ronnies Barker and Corbett! Includes the complete collections of The Tommy Cooper Hour, Life With Cooper, Cooper King-Size, Tommy Cooper, Cooper, Cooper's Half Hour, Cooper - Just Like That; plus a couple of bonus extras. |
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Carry On - Collection 1Begin your journey through the annals of the Carry Ons, Britain's longest-running comedy film series, with this 4-disc Blu-ray set featuring the first 4 films of the uproarious franchise - in high-definition for the first time anywhere in the world. Released in Australia - but region free and playable on UK players and TV sets - the box set contains Carry On Sergeant (1958), Carry On Nurse (1959), Carry On Teacher (1959), and Carry On, Constable (1960). See where the fun began, with stars including Bob Monkhouse and William Hartnell, Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor and Sidney James, Hattie Jacques, Leslie Phillips, Ted Ray, and many, many more brilliant comedy actors. Order now for delivery before Christmas. |
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Fisherman's Friends 2: One And AllThe sequel to the 2019 hit UK comedy charts the next instalment of the Fisherman's Friends' amazing and uplifting true story. Following the unexpected success of their debut album No Hopers, Jokers and Rogues we rejoin the world's oldest 'buoy band' a year later struggling to navigate the pressures, pitfalls, and temptations of their newfound fame. Fisherman's Friends: One And All follows the celebrated shanty singers through the highs and lows as lifelong friendships are put to the test and they battle the dreaded 'curse of the second album'. |
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Mrs. Brown's Boys - Holly Jolly JinglesJingle all the way with Mrs. Brown and her boys in three brand new episodes from 2021. Mammy's Mechanical Merriment Mammy's Mickey Mammy's Boo Who? |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Taskmaster - New Year's Treat 2023 line-up revealed
A short trailer for the New Year's episode of Taskmaster. It reveals that Amelia Dimoldenberg, Carol Vorderman, Greg James, Mo Farah and Self Esteem will compete in the one-off special.
Tim Vine - The Multi-Purpose World Cup Song
A new World Cup song by Tim Vine that can be played before any World Cup.
Baddiel & Skinner: Three Lions - It's Coming Home For Christmas
David Baddiel and Frank Skinner have revamped their football song Three Lions. Here's the new festive edition for the Qatar World Cup.
Pudsey's Celebrity Call Centre
A sketch that was broadcast as part of Children In Need on Friday. Am I Being Unreasonable? star Lenny Rush must manage celebs like Darren Harriott, Iain Stirling, Richard Madeley and Natalie Cassidy. There was also a Blankety Blank special.
Unacceptable Views
A song by Dominic Frisby. "Some days I read the paper, watch news on the TV, I spend time on the internet, but everything I see, only leaves me... with unacceptable views."
Christmas In The Caribbean - Trailer
Elizabeth Hurley stars as an unlucky-in-love woman whose fortunes could be about to change in this feel-good festive movie.
Spotlight
An Alligator Named Daisy
A delightful, very early colour comedy, 1955's An Alligator Named Daisy was adapted from a comic novel published the previous year. Starring Donald Sinden, Diana Dors, Stanley Holloway and James Robertson-Justice - plus a wide range of guest stars, including cameos from Dame Margaret Rutherford and, in probably his earliest surviving filmed stand-up performance at all, never mind in colour, the great Frankie Howerd - it follows an Englishman who, on his way home from a holiday visiting family in Ireland, becomes the reluctant keeper of a tame alligator! Initially repulsed by the creature he soon warms to her (and she to him): helped not a little bit by the fact he also falls for a pretty redhead who works at one of London's zoos and attempts to help him out. The other trouble? They're both engaged to other people...
Thanks for reading
There was lots of great entries for the computer virus themed BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition, but it was Philip Simon who came out top in the blind judging:
I downloaded Instagram and my computer got a virus. Some kind of Social Influenza.
Have you entered our competition to win a Worzel Gummidge prize bundle yet?
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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