Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 9th January 2023 |
We start this newsletter of with news of who has made it to the final round of our annual TV and radio awards. It's now time to vote again...
Latest comedy news
Comedy.co.uk Awards 2022 shortlist
The 60 TV and radio programmes shortlisted across the 10 categories in the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2022 have been revealed. Voting is now open to determine the winners.
Munya Chawawa pilots late night Channel 4 sketch show
Munya Chawawa is piloting a late night sketch show for Channel 4, The Late Night Munyaverse.
Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe pilot Sky panel show about TV
Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe are to host a panel show pilot about TV for Sky.
Advert
I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue
The Official Stage Tour
BBC Radio's multi award-winning antidote to panel games continues in 2023 with its sell-out touring show. Join Jack Dee, Rory Bremner, Pippa Evans, Tony Hawks, Marcus Brigstocke, Milton Jones and Fred MacAulay for an unmissable evening of inspired nonsense.
Features
Colouring Hancock
Colourisation expert Clayton Hickman tells us about his work breathing new life into classic episodes of Hancock's Half Hour, which air this Saturday evening on Gold.
Circuit Training 150: To the Secret Gardens! With Jack Docherty
For this special ton-and-a-half edition of Si Hawkins's Circuit Training column, we head back to last August, and an intriguing invite from Absolutely and Scot Squad star Jack Docherty.
Comedy Rewind: On the farm with Worzel Gummidge
Take a trip to the countryside to delve into the much loved children's series Worzel Gummidge, as a brand new box set, fully remastered, restored, and loaded with extra features, comes to DVD and Blu-ray.
Steptoe And Son Quiz
A set of quiz questions based around the brilliant sitcom Steptoe And Son.
TV listings
Hold The Front Page
Episode 2 of the show in which Josh Widdicome and Nish Kumar try out being local news journalists. This time they head to the south coast to dig up the biggest scoops to come out of West Sussex.
Scot Squad
Megan Squire is all set to retire, but the ace detective still manages to bang up a banger on her last day.
Would I Lie To You?
Chizzy Akudolu, Simon Gregson, Michelle Visage and Henning Wehn join the regular trio this time.
QI
Sandi Toksvig is joined by Ed Byrne, Cally Beaton, Jack Dee and Alan Davies to answer theatre-themed questions.
Jon & Lucy's Odd Couples
A new show in which married comedians Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont shine a light on other relationships. First up are Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev, and Richard Herring and Catie Wilkins.
Live At The Apollo
Kae Kurd welcomes Laura Smyth and Liam Farrelly to the stage, before a packed house at London's Hammersmith Apollo.
The Graham Norton Show
Alan Carr is on the show this week to talk about the programme in which he is renovating a Sicilian home. Also: Cate Blanchett, Margot Robbie and Ashley Banjo, plus music from Raye.
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Series 6 of Michael McIntyre's theatre-based show. Rylan Clark bravely hands over his phone in Send to All and an unsuspecting Antiques Roadshow fan gets the biggest surprise of their life. Plus the Unexpected Star of the Show strand is back too.
Hancock: Very Nearly An Armful
Jack Dee hosts a unique look back at the life and career of one of Britain's most important and influential comedy stars, Tony Hancock. Straight afterward, two newly restored and colourised episodes of classic sitcom Hancock's Half Hour will air - you won't want to miss seeing these!
The John Bishop Show
This week's guests include Mo Gilligan and Sue Perkins.
Romantic Getaway
The final two episodes of the comedy thriller. Will the duo get away from all the trouble they've caused? Will their relationship survive? What is Allison about to reveal that changes everything?
Bad Education
Series 4 of the sitcom... nine years on from Series 3. Alfie Wickers is gone, and now it is time to hand over the reins to Stephen and Mitchell, who have gone from being students to teachers themselves.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
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Jim The GreatA historical romp with regal trips to the pub, medieval battle toys, and not-so-arranged marriages. In Jim The Great, Jimmy Edwards stars as the titular medieval chieftain who has more on his plate than whatever the huntsman's brought in... From using the Venerable Bede to research the King's (perhaps questionable) ancestry and attempting to build himself an empire as cheaply as possible, to settling a debt with a Viking by way of a duel and accidentally losing his Kingdom before becoming a grumpy galley slave rowing to Rome, King Jim's adventures are history as you've never heard it before. A classic comedy with a fantastic cast including June Whitfield, Chris Emmett, David Ryall and Joan Sanderson, this is the perfect listen for a little royal entertainment. |
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The Now Show - Series 44 - 46Three series of the Sony Award-winning BBC radio comedy show, from 2014 and 2015, in which Steve Punt co-presents with Hugh Dennis and, on one occasion, Jon Culshaw. Joining them are a raft of comedians including Nathan Caton, Elis James, Sara Pascoe, Aditi Mittal, Alex Edelman and Alexei Sayle, as they dissect the headlines with their scalpel of wit. Everything is fair game and a potential target for the team, and topics under the spotlight include the Scottish independence referendum; the UN climate summit; 3-parent babies; fox hunting and whether or not Pluto is a planet. David Quantick ponders the Proms; Nish Kumar wonders if Monopoly is to blame for economic inequality; and Jon Holmes explains how the British Army is waging war through social media. Plus, the team pose the traditional Audience Questions, including 'What have you observed that demands explanation?', 'What gadget or invention do you most regret buying?' and 'What irritates you so much you'd be prepared to go to prison?' |
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Plebs - Complete CollectionPlebs, the hilarious comedy as seen on ITV2, follows three desperate young men from the suburbs 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! Our plebs are Marcus (Tom Rosenthal), Stylax (Joel Fry), lazy servant Grumio (Ryan Sampson) and Jason (Jonathan Pointing). Their efforts are hampered by their dodgy landlord (Karl Theobold), ruthless boss (Robert Lindsay) and sidekick (Tom Basden), amongst others, over the course of the five wonderful series. Guest stars in include Danny Dyer, Maureen Lipman, Simon Callow, Shaun Williamson, Lauren Socha, Tim Key, James Fleet, Michelle Keegan, Miriam Margolyes and Brian Murphy. This set includes all five series and the feature length finale special. |
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A Merry War (Keep The Aspidistra Flying)Gordon Comstock (Richard E. Grant) quits his job at an advertising agency to write poetry; which appals his girlfriend, Rosemary (Helena Bonham Carter), as her hopes for an imminent marriage and comfortable, middle-class life are ruined. When writing full-time and earning money proves difficult, Gordon sinks lower and lower in his residential and financial circumstances. But Gordon stubbornly pursues his dream... |
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Old Harry's GameWelcome to Hell - where nobody can ever quite catch the barman's eye. In this collection, which contains all seven series of Sony Award-winning Radio 4 sitcom Old Harry's Game, get ready for some wicked one-liners and scorching satire. Satan is fed up after a millennia in charge of Hell, especially given the prospect of an eternity still running the damned place. Although he does enjoy playing pranks on the world of the living and devising wry torments for the souls in his keeping, he often wistfully recalls his past as an archangel... |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Comedy Central Live - Kyrah Gray
Comedy Central is embarking on a second series of its online stand-up showcase, with another 40 episodes on the way. First up: Kyrah Gray, discussing the dilemmas of dating Englishmen, role-play real talk in the bedroom, and more.
The Prime Minister's Board Games Man
A new sketch from Michael Spicer. The PM employs a man to play board games with.
State of Acting Career 2023
Marek Larwood has made this to show how things are going in his acting career.
Spotlight
Parsley Sidings
For three years from 1971, with Dad's Army at the height of its success, Arthur Lowe and Ian Lavender enjoyed 21 episodes of railway adventures in this BBC Radio 2 sitcom set at a quiet railway station somewhere between London and Birmingham. Forever on the threat of closure in the wake of the previous decade's Beeching cuts, Lowe is station manager Horace Hepplewhite, and Lavender his son, Bertrand. Written by Jim Eldridge (King Street Junior), fellow comedy legends Kenneth Connor and Liz Fraser co-star, with guests including Pat Coombs and fellow Dad's Army icon Bill Pertwee.
Thanks for reading
Playing cards was the theme of the BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition. Here's Ed Greenwood's entry:
I went for poker night at the old folks home - I cut, I dealt, and got arrested for selling them heroin.
Please don't forget to vote in our awards. Thank you!
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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