Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 27th February 2023 |
Latest comedy news
Channel 4 drops I Hate You
Channel 4 has pulled the plug on its new sitcom I Hate You after just one series.
Daniel Petrie wins Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2023
Daniel Petrie was picked as the winner of the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2023 competition, with Vittorio Angelone second and Shalaka Kurup third.
Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing returning for two more series
Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing is returning for two more series, with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse visiting the UK's oldest pub and celebrating their faithful hound Ted's birthday in episodes airing later this year.
NextUp to stream Angel, Monkey Barrel and Backyard gigs
Streaming platform NextUp has launched three 'digitised' comedy clubs, with more to follow. Shows from Angel Comedy, Monkey Barrel and Backyard Comedy will now regularly stream directly to NextUp's platform as part of their innovation and access strategy.
Matt Lucas reveals new sketch show details
Matt Lucas has spoken more about his and David Walliams's plans for a new sketch show - and it won't be a straight revival of Little Britain.
Pete Firman to tour comic magic show TrikTok
Comic magician Pete Firman will be touring his new show TrikTok from September 2023 to February 2024.
Two Doors Down moving next door to BBC One for seventh series
Two Doors Down is moving to BBC One for its seventh series, with six more episodes set to air later this year.
Nicola Coughlan to star in Channel 4 comedy Big Mood
Derry Girls' Nicola Coughlan is to co-star in a new Channel 4 comedy, Big Mood. The six-part series focuses on a female friendship when infiltrated by the complexities of a serious mental illness.
FYI
Stephen Fry to host 'Jeopardy!' game show; Stuart Goldsmith releases I Need You Alive stand-up special; Big Boys, Derry Girls, Man Vs Bee and Motherland up for BPG Awards; Winners announced for comedian's bursary; and The Comedy Store launches live virtual reality shows.
Advert
The WeGotTickets Independent Comedy Festival is a nationwide coalition of comedy, 17 - 30 April. This fortnight long festival will see around 20 of the UK's best independent comedy clubs and promoters bring leading stand-up comics to a stage near you. Limited pre-sale now live: book now.
Features
Why TV needs sketch comedy
With sketch output declining on television, comedy writer Andrew Dawson has written this compelling call for more shows to be commissioned.
Win an Upright DVD collection
Starring Tim Minchin and Milly Alcock, we've two copies of the complete Seasons 1 and 2 box set of UK-Australian comedy Upright to give away.
Comedy Chronicles: Utterly Buffery - The short but special comic career of Tony Buffery
A remarkable, acclaimed talent whose flirtations with comedy touched and influenced the likes of The Pythons, The Goodies and Clive James, this is the fascinating tale of neuropsychologist Tony Buffery.
British Comedy Quiz #242
The test this time includes questions on Hi-De-Hi!, Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, This Country, and more.
Rogue Pun: Edy Hurst's Tour of the Worlds invades the UK. But still they come
His show about Martian invaders was invaded at the Edinburgh Fringe, now Edy Hurst is doing a Tour of the Worlds. What are the Chances?
Advert
Jessica Fostekew will host the final of the BCG Pro Talent Awards for Performance on Thursday 23rd March at London's Museum Of Comedy. Come and see the brilliant Kate-Lois Elliott, James Murphy, The Awkward Silence, Silham Shahzad and Ashish Suri competing for the trophy, plus a set from Starter category winner Ella Gonzales! Tickets
TV listings
Buffering
When the gang find themselves with a "free day", they have to decide what to do with it. Ashley decides to sort out her clothes. Rosie decides to paint a feature wall. Iain decides whether to stay at Flummox. And Greg decides whether to stay... at all.
A Whole Lifetime With Jamie Demetriou
A new sketch show special. The programme is themed around the journey of life - starting with birth and ending on death.
Dirty Water
A new sitcom for the Scottish streaming platform. It follows a rag tag group of employees working for a low-rent cleaning company.
Guessable?
Maisie Adam, Josh Pugh, Josh Jones and Snoochie Shy play another round of absurd guessing games.
Rod Woodward: Live In Wales
Welsh comedian Rod Woodward performs a stand-up show at Cardiff's New Theatre covering topics including Spanish swearwords, dodgy TV boxes and video shop etiquette.
Funny Woman
Sophie and Clive's romance is the talk of the town, but a discovery threatens to bring down the whole show.
A League Of Their Own
As their road trip continues, Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards take on more challenges, and are joined by guests Maisie Adam and Mo Gilligan.
QI
Another selection of the best moments from the recent series. Sandi Toksvig asks questions connected to the letter T, as Alan Davies and the guest panellists try to come up with interesting, point-worthy answers.
Fantasy Football League
Matt Lucas and Elis James are joined by Chris McCausland and Trevor McDonald as the football-focused show continues.
The Last Leg
Frankie Boyle, Josh Pugh and AJ Odudu are all set to take part in this Friday's broadcast which, as ever, is broadcast live.
The Jonathan Ross Show
Alan Carr and Babatunde Aleshe are set to appear on the chat show this weekend. Also, the host is joined by actor Andy Serkis and ex-footballer Peter Crouch and his wife, Abbey Clancy. There's music from Paolo Nutini.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
 |
Samantha Baines - Living With Hearing Loss And DeafnessFeaturing the author's, comedian Samantha Baines, own experiences of deafness, this book is about how to understand, live and thrive with hearing loss - a humorous yet informative place to turn for the millions of people in the UK who have hearing loss or deafness. Including interviews with experts from the RNID, audiologists, deaf activists and people who use and teach sign language, as well as facts and anecdotes. |
|
Agony - The Complete SeriesBAFTA-nominated actress Maureen Lipman stars as Jane Lucas, author of a problem page in a glossy magazine and radio Agony Aunt, in this classic comedy from London Weekend Television. A huge hit for ITV in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Agony lasted for three series. Based on the experiences of real-life Agony Aunt Anna Raeburn, the sitcom rod a thin line of black humour - the darkest joke of all being that Jane offers solutions to people on a daily basis but can't solve her own personal problems. With a wonderful array of co-stars that includes Simon Williams, Diana Weston and Bill Nighy, this box set includes all three original series of the show. |
 |
Worzel Gummidge - The Complete Restored EditionHaving marked its 44th anniversary at the weekend, this is the hit sitcom, much-loved by a generation of children (and parents alike), exhibiting the hugely underrated comic talents of Jon Pertwee. Newly, comprehensively restored from the original 16mm film and remastered in HD, Pertwee stars as the eponymous scarecrow with an uncanny knack for finding himself in a whole world of trouble, alongside Una Stubbs as Aunt Sally, and guest stars including Lorraine Chase and Barbara Windsor. When children John and Sue move to the countryside, they learn that life is never dull with Worzel around. The restless scarecrow dreams of a life away from his post in Ten Acre Field and often wanders off into mischief. Whether getting his heart broken by the creaking fairground doll Aunt Sally or disobeying his maker, the eccentric old Crowman (Geoffrey Bayldon), Worzel is lucky to have his young friends on hand to help rescue him from trouble. Based on the stories of Barbara Euphan Todd, Worzel Gummidge was produced by Southern Television and ran for four series between 1979 and 1981. This release is jam-packed with extras from the television and radio archives, telling a comprehensive story of the wonderful, charming comedy series all these decades on. |
|
Sean Lock: 15 Minutes Of Misery & 15 Storeys HighSean Lock stars in a surreal comedy masterpiece set in a heavily-bugged London tower block. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, these classic cult comedies sparked a critically-acclaimed BBC TV show that ran for two series between 2002 and 2003. Starring the much-missed Sean Lock, these tower block tales revolve around a sardonic misanthrope who, despite his best efforts, can't seem to keep the world at bay. Holed up in his flat in Elderberry House, he's constantly bothered by friends, neighbours and confused tourists - so he hides microphones all around the block to listen in to the other residents... |
|
The MissionaryTimid Reverend Charles Fortescue (writer and star Michael Palin) returns to London in 1906 after ten years of service in Africa to start a mission to save the fallen women of Soho. But his dedication to tending to the needs of those in his care soon meets with the disapproval of the church and his patron. Directed by Richard Loncraine, The Missionary is a charming and beautifully detailed comedy that boasts a superb supporting cast, including Maggie Smith, Trevor Howard, Denholm Elliott, Michael Hordern, Graham Crowden and Neil Innes. After a limited edition release, a few years ago, this standard edition Blu-ray boasts a restoration from the original negatives, supervised and approved by cinematographer Peter Hannan and director Richard Loncraine, and a range of extra features. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Captive Audience
This Channel 4 web series sees comedians having to perform their stand-up material in unusual settings. This final episode is perhaps the most entertaining of the lot. Fatiha El-Ghorri, Josh Pugh and Aurie Styla have to talk to customers in a coffee shop. You can catch-up on all five episodes via our site.
Community Engagement Scheme
A pioneering Befriend the Elderly scheme runs into a few problems.
AI painting by numbers
AI can paint better pictures than any human hand. Leonardo, Picasso, Monet... a computer can do what they did, but better. So what is the future for art and artists in the age of AI? It doesn't look good.
Adrian Gray: I'm the new voice of the London Underground
Adrian Gray says: "I can't quite believe this has happened. Thought I'd share this special moment with you guys."
The Real Me - Jazz Emu
Is your life a simulation?
Comedy Central Live - Andrew Ryan
Andrew Ryan tells Comedy Central Live why Ireland would win a gold medal if funerals were an Olympic sport...
Spotlight
On The Up
The late telly favourite Dennis Waterman starred in this three-series sitcom from the early 90s, penned by Good Life and As Time Goes By scribe Bob Larbey. Sam Kelly and Carry On icon Joan Sims are amongst the supporting ensemble in the tale of self-made millionaire luxury taxi firm boss Tony Carpenter, whose earthy working class sensibilities now regularly clash with his social climbing wife, leading to many an argument in their plush Surrey home - but at least he has his trustworthy staff to rely upon. By turns as riotously silly as The Good Life and as gentle and charming as As Time Goes By, the popular series is about to be re-released in a new DVD box set. Look out for the guest appearances of a modern drama favourite, an 80s sitcom star, and a future EastEnders regular amongst many others.
Thanks for reading
Our latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition was on the topic of "sci-fi". Here's a funny from Alex Buchanan:
My wife found out I spent my life savings on a prop gun from Star Trek. Phaser? No, she wasn't that bothered.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
Join our mailing list