Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 13th February 2023 |
Latest comedy news
Comedy.co.uk Awards results 2022
Don't Hug Me I'm Scared has been named Comedy Of The Year 2022 in the Comedy.co.uk Awards. There were also wins for Ghosts, Ellie & Natasia, Would I Lie To You?, Taskmaster, This Is Going To Hurt, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen?, 'Whatever Next?' With Miles Jupp, The Unbelievable Truth and You're Dead To Me.
Boris Johnson Comic Strip film scuppered by creative differences
Lie Another Day, a planned Channel 4 satire from The Comic Strip Presents... team on Boris Johnson's tenure as Prime Minister, which would have seen the PM as a Russian agent planted to destroy the UK, was cancelled because of production wranglings between writer Peter Richardson and production company Lookout Point.
Michael McIntyre announces new Macnificent world tour
Michael McIntyre has announced a new world tour for 2023-4, Macnificent.
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme to return in 2023
John Finnemore has confirmed that his Souvenir Programme is returning to Radio 4 in 2023 for a new special.
The Joe Lycett Live Show coming to Friday nights on Channel 4
Channel 4 has commissioned The Joe Lycett Live Show, a late-night series for Friday nights from Birmingham in which the stand-up performs comedy and welcomes celebrities, "local legends, LGBTQ+ heroes and allies".
Steve Hewlett to embark on new ventriloquism tour
Steve Hewlett, who is celebrating 25 years as a professional ventriloquist, is set to undertake his third theatre tour this March to August.
Derry Girls wins at Broadcast Awards 2023
Derry Girls has won the Best Comedy Programme in the Broadcast Awards 2023. Meanwhile This Is Going To Hurt triumphed in the Drama category.
Fawlty Towers sequel in development
John Cleese and his daughter Camilla are writing and will star in a sequel to iconic sitcom Fawlty Towers.
Rich Hardisty to tour Silly Boy show
Rich Hardisty will be taking his show Silly Boy out on the road for his debut national tour this spring.
Please Use Other Door, The Skewer and Milton Jones up for BBC Awards
Please Use Other Door, The Skewer, Thanks A Lot, Milton Jones!, The Downing Street Doppelganger, Ken Cheng: Chinese Comedian and Tudur Owen: United Nations Of Anglesey are finalists in the 2023 BBC Audio Drama Awards.
Simon Day announces new Fast Show character tour
Simon Day is to embark on a live comedy tour, reprising a number of his popular characters from The Fast Show.
Tiff Stevenson to tour Sexy Brain
Comedian Tiff Stevenson is to tour her 5-star reviewed Edinburgh Fringe show across the UK from the end of March.
Chortle Awards 2023 results
Jazz Emu won in two categories at the Chortle Awards 2023. Other winners included Dara O Briain, Seann Walsh, Bob Mortimer, Joe Lycett and Zoe Lyons.
FYI
James Norton to appear in Jerk Series 3 and Best In Class 2023 line-up announced.
Advert
Kirsty Mann brings MESS to VAULT on 18th & 19th Feb. Kirsty has a secret, and this is a confession. A hilarious and confronting true story about a double life from "smart character comic" (The Scotsman), Funny Women Awards finalist and "wo-mann of many talents" (Not The Front Row). "Excellent" (Metro), "Phenomenal" (Entertainment Now), "Grabs the gig by the funny bits" (The Scotsman), "Say it again, with bells on; this is Edinburgh Fringe at its best" ✭✭✭✭✭(Ed Fest Magazine).
Features
Peter Richardson interview
With The Comic Strip Presents having just marked its 40th anniversary and some celebratory events lined up at Slapstick Festival, we chat to the series' creative powerhouse, Peter Richardson, about the celebrated satires, their legacy and the future.
Comedy Chronicles: A nation of comedy shopkeepers
Imagine a high street, in some parallel but very-near dimension, where some of the greatest names of British comedy are in fact the proprietors and landlords of each establishment...
First Gig, Worst Gig: Hatty Ashdown
As she prepares to re-open The Worry Drawer, Hatty Ashdown recalls that time she lived in a cupboard.
Chris Jarvis / Alison Spittle / Amy Matthews - Bobby Carroll's Comedy Diary
Bobby finds sheer joy at the Chris Jarvis pantomime Cinderella, and reports back from the gigs of Alison Spittle and Amy Matthews.
British Comedy Quiz #240
Topics this time include Feathers McGraw, Andy Capp and the Sparrowhawk Family Centre. Recognise any of those names?
Random 8: Celya AB
From Paris to Brum, now taking on London and Leicester, Celya AB tackles our huit suite.
TV listings
Everyone Else Burns
David takes Aaron to a caravan for some father-son bonding, but there's no electricity and the only running water is leaking through the ceiling. Fiona hosts a girls' night.
Buffering
Iain tries to impress his dad by pitching an idea for a ground-breaking primetime TV show to the new commissioner, with the help of Finn and Rosie. Meanwhile, Ashely suspects Greg's got a new girlfriend so enlists Thalia to discover who she is.
The Family Pile
The new sitcom's penultimate episode. Yvette's son Raymond arrives to claim what's his, but a jealous Gaynor plans to fight him for it - meanwhile, Ursula makes a critical decision.
The Football's On
A new series of the long-running comedy about football, hosted by Ian Stone.
Guessable?
Sara Pascoe, Alan Davies, Darren Harriott, and sidekick John Kearns, welcome Ivo Graham, Rachel Parris, Stevie Martin and Eshaan Akbar to play another round of absurd guessing games.
Funny Woman
The new comedy continues. Barbara lands a dream role in a new TV comedy, but news from home on the eve of the show threatens to derail her opportunity, forcing her into an impossible decision.
TV Flashback
Kiri Pritchard-McLean rewinds the most engaging clips from half a century of Welsh TV, this time looking at Ynys Môn or Anglesey. From stunning scenery to marvellous characters, she finds out how the place she calls home has made an impact in Wales.
Would I Lie To You?
Comedians Lucy Beaumont and Desiree Burch, Strictly judge Anton Du Beke and sitcom star Ralf Little join host Rob Brydon and regular captains David Mitchell and Lee Mack on the offbeat panel show.
The National Comedy Awards
The National Comedy Awards for Stand Up To Cancer returns for a second year, and this time it's broadcasting live from London's Roundhouse with host Tom Allen.
A League Of Their Own - Road Trip: Southeast Asia
A brand new series. Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards are joined by Alan Carr at the Singapore Grand Prix, before meeting up with Big Zuu for a street food cooking challenge.
QI
The last wholly new episode of the series. Sandi Toksvig takes tea with Rosie Jones, Ahir Shah, Henning Wehn and Alan Davies.
Fantasy Football League
This Friday Matt Lucas and Elis James will be joined by Guz Khan and Sam Quek.
The Graham Norton Show
On Graham's sofa: Judi Dench talks about her heart-warming film Allelujah, while Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas - stars of Marvel's Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania - also pop in for a chat.Hugh Jackman, Michael B Jordan and Eugene Levy are also in the studio. Plus, there's music from P!nk.
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
In the last episode of the series, Michael introduces Ellie Goulding singing Like A Saviour, Jermaine Jenas hands over his mobile in Send to All, and there's a duet from the two Unexpected Stars of the Show. Plus, a contestant on The Wheel gets the surprise of her life when her edition keep getting more bizarre.
Secrets & Scandals Of Carry On
A new documentary in Channel 5's ongoing strand. Behind-the-scenes stories reveal the truth behind the cheeky, cheerful image of the film series, including the treatment of the cast at the hands of millionaire producer Peter Rogers.
The John Bishop Show
Fay Ripley, Ashley Banjo and Shania Twain join John in the last episode of his current series.
Bad Education
Stephen wants to turn the school play into a showcase for his talents to impress an agent, but Hoburn has more sinister plans to use it as a way of closing the school down.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
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A Bit Of Fry & Laurie - The Complete CollectionStephen Fry and Hugh Laurie were among the most successful acts of the alternative comedy show Saturday Live/Friday Night Live, and after a Christmas pilot in 1987, the BBC commissioned a series from the duo in 1989. "My father wouldn't have a television in the house, so we used to gather round every night and watch it on the lawn." Fry and Laurie explored a seemingly inexhaustible list of subjects with a delicious turn of phrase and elaborate wordplay. The hilarity included regular acts such as not-so-super spy Tony Murchison and his boss Control, yuppies, John and Peter, as well as the concluding cocktail recipe to the accompaniment of Mr Music with plenty of Vox Pops. With four brilliant series of great satire, comic genius and an hilarious use of language, Fry and Laurie are definitely at the top of the comedy tree. |
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Sarah Millican - Bobby DazzlerSarah Millican's latest live show, Bobby Dazzler, is out now as a digital download - plus extras - via her website. |
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Beachcomber... By The WayJ.B. Morton took over the 'By The Way' column in the Daily Express in 1924 - succeeding his friend D.B. Wyndham-Lewis as Beachcomber - and continued writing it for over 50 years. Anarchic, absurdist and profoundly influential, it had a huge cult following, and paved the way for a great deal of modern humour. These three series bring Beachcomber's irreverent jottings to hilarious life, with Richard Ingrams as the eponymous author: 'Greetings, my public', interruptions from John Wells as Prodnose: 'What is all this?', 'Begone, you oaf!' (door slams after Prodnose), and Patricia Routledge, John Sessions and Joan Sims as the notorious Twelve Red-Bearded Dwarves, among others. Also participating in the nonsense are silken-voiced announcer Brian Perkins and guest stars June Whitfield, Brian Bowles, Simon Greenall and Henrietta Gooden. |
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Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!Ben is getting used to life without his beloved granny, the international jewel thief known as the Black Cat. But when world famous treasures start disappearing in the dead of night and the clues point to none other than the return of the infamous cat burglar, Ben sets out on a quest to discover who's impersonating his granny and how he can stop them. |
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Stephen Walsh & Keith Page - Tony Hancock: The Lad HimselfTony Hancock: The Lad Himself is a new graphic novel that tells the story of the legendary comedian in words, pictures, and not without a few interruptions from The Lad Himself, who proves to be a little infuriated at how his story is told... as those who know and love his work would fully expect! Tony Hancock somehow seems a natural subject for a comic - and, of course, he's been in them before. At the height of his television fame, he appeared in Britain's top-selling weekly, Film Fun. Since his death, he's been the subject of biographies, radio dramas, and even a couple of television films. With the advent of satellite TV and DVD, he seems to be everywhere. This funny, powerful and poignant graphic novel charts the life of the often troubled comedian with searing honesty but great affection - with Hancock contributing acerbic commentary in the telling. It's a unique approach to recounting Hancock's life story - as you would expect when dealing with such an extraordinary talent, whose enduring appeal is testament to his comedy genius. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Fin Vs The Internet - Series 2 Episode 1: JaackMaate
Fin Taylor tries to understand how to make it online by talking to someone with more followers than him. This week, it's JaackMaate's Happy Hour Podcast.
The Family Pile - Series 1 bloopers
The funniest bits that didn't make the final cut!
Fancy That
Is it creepy to swipe right on a guy who is working at your house?
Driverless cars
Driverless cars... What could go wrong? Well, everything!
Bad TV Impressions - Happy Valley Series 3
Sergeant Cawood and Tommy Lee Royce are about to face their last waltz in Halifax.
Funny Woman - Gemma Arterton plays Try Not To Laugh
Gemma Arterton takes part in a 'Don't Laugh Challenge'. She reads through some dad jokes, whilst trying not to laugh...
Dropped - Episode One
ATM are on set of their latest music video, and problems seem to follow them wherever they go.
Jessica Fostekew - Great British Poo Taboo
Jessica Fostekew takes to the toilet to tackle the 'Great British Poo Taboo'.
The Room Next Door - Winston Churchill
Watch the Room Next Door Man's grandfather coach the former Prime Minister.
The Robot AI Takeover
A sketch about the future of humanity... It leads to a disturbing dream.
Comedy Central Live - Mary O'Connell
Mary O'Connell reveals the horrors of office life. From sending PDFs and co-workers putting kisses in emails...
9 years of Inside No. 9 - the stars pick their favourite episodes
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton look back their favourite episodes from the early days of Inside No. 9.
The Sheikh - Fashion
The Sheikh takes on the fashion industry with his brand, Chic Sheikh.
Spotlight
The Last Salute
Watching's Paul Bown starred in this two-series late-90s sitcom by Tim Binding and Simon Nye. Set in early 1960s Hampshire, it follows an AA patrolman who's increasingly disillusioned with the breakdown service's modernisations. Paul Young (Still Game, No Job For A Lady) and Philip Jackson (Boomers, Raised By Wolves) are amongst the co-stars.
Thanks for reading
Nathan Cowley has won the latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition on the topic of romance:
My wife came home to find a dozen Roses. Luckily, the other five climbed out the window.
That's all for this week. We'll be back in your inboxes next Monday. In the meantime, we're still locked out of our main Twitter account. If you know anyone who works there, please ask them to help out!
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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