Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 20th May 2024 |
Latest comedy news
Alan Partridge's documentary series is now being filmed
It's been confirmed that filming is now underway for Alan Partridge's new spoof documentary series, And Did Those Feet... With Alan Partridge.
Timothy Spall is a TV sleuth solving crime in BBC comedy Death Valley
Timothy Spall stars in BBC comedy drama Death Valley as John Chapel, a retired actor, beloved for his role as television detective Caesar, who has begun solving crimes in rural Wales for real, in an unlikely partnership with detective sergeant Janie Mallowan, played by Gwyneth Keyworth.
Motherland spin-off Amandaland coming to BBC One
Motherland is getting a spin-off, focused on Lucy Punch's character Amanda. Coming to BBC One, Amandaland also features Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne.
Charlotte Ritchie and Tanya Moodie star in comedy thriller Hostages
Charlotte Ritchie and Tanya Moodie star in comedy thriller Hostages, about an unfolding terror incident at a London hotel, set for release later this year and co-starring stand-ups Luke McQueen and Nick Helm.
Red Dwarf returning to television with new three-episode special
Red Dwarf is returning for a new special next year after half a decade away from television screens. Filming on the feature-length instalment, which will be spread over three 30-minute episodes, begins in October.
'My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom' to air on Channel 4
Channel 4 is to air a "bold and moving" documentary that follows comedian Mark O'Sullivan as he writes and directs a studio audience sitcom about the sexual abuse he survived as a child.
Channel 4's 2024 Comedy Blaps revealed
Channel 4 has released Comedy Blap pilot Peaked, and announced projects are coming from Josh Pugh, Amy Gledhill and Ola Labib.
Have I Got News For You launches in America with US version for CNN
CNN is to make an American version of Have I Got News For You.
Daisy May Cooper announces paranormal investigations book Hexy B*tch
The second book from writer and actress Daisy May Cooper has been announced as an investigation into paranormal and unexplained oddities, Hexy B*tch.
Sky announces comedy film Grow with star cast
Sky has commissioned a new family comedy film set around the world of competitive pumpkin growing, with an all-star cast including Golda Rosheuvel, Nick Frost and Jane Horrocks.
Henry Rowley to tour debut hour
Social media sketch star Henry Rowley is to perform his debut hour at the Edinburgh Fringe this August, before taking Just Literally on a tour of the UK and Ireland.
FYI
Eleanor Morton to publish Life Lessons From Historical Women; Alex Horne to guest host Have I Got News For You; Animated comedy Dave's Games to air on BBC Three; Morrissey shunned Vic & Bob's Big Night Out on Dr Felch's orders; Robin Morgan releases first stand-up special on YouTube; Mackenzie Crook writes short book about Nick Drake; David Baddiel publishes 'My Family: The Memoir'; Matt Forde becomes ambassador for Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital; Brian Logan to run 'A Play, A Pie and A Pint'; Paul Jackson celebrates The Two Ronnies; 'Sorry, I Didn't Know' returning for a fifth series; and Trying stars Rafe Spall and Esther Smith succeed in conceiving.
Advert
The great and even greater of comedy celebrate the life of legendary Comedy Store Player Andy Smart at the Duchess Theatre in London on Monday 3rd June. Featuring Omid Djalili, Milton Jones, Shaparak Khorsandi, Hal Cruttenden, Simon Munnery, Rufus Hound, Charlie Baker, Neil Mullarkey and many more! All proceeds from this brilliant evening to the homeless charity Crisis. Tickets
Features
Comedy Chronicles: Taking on the tabula rasa: Inside the writing room
Writing comedy. Some like to do it standing up; some prefer sitting down; and others have ended up lying flat out on the floor. Graham McCann examines how some of Britain's finest comic minds got their words down on the page.
Fawlty Towers, Jo Koy, Sukh Ojla, Alex Horne's Football Match - Mark Muldoon's Comedy Diary
Taskmaster creator Little Alex Horne put on a comedy football match featuring James Acaster, Jon Richardson, Nish Kumar and many more. But was it funny? Our live comedy columnist reports back on this, plus Golden Globes presenter and Netflix star Jo Koy, the brand new West End adaptation of classic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers, and Mock The Week's Sukh Ojla.
First Gig, Worst Gig: Matt Bragg
Which crown jewel did Matt Bragg take from Windsor? All will be revealed.
Nick Helm / Martin Angolo / Julian Clary - Bobby Carroll's Live Comedy Diary
Bobby catches up with his old friend Nick Helm on tour and is blown away by a change in gears, then settles in to watch the more mainstream but no less suave Martin Angolo and Julian Clary.
Win a Lavender Hill Mob prize bundle
A glimmering new 4K restoration of the enduringly popular 1951 Ealing Studios comedy classic The Lavender Hill Mob is now out on UHD Blu-ray, and we have a prize bundle to give away that includes an exclusive can't-buy-anywhere canvas bag and mug.
British Comedy Quiz #306
Emma Chambers, Lenny Henry and Cannon & Ball are amongst the people you'll encounter as you take this week's quiz.
Andy Parsons is still bafflingly optimistic
Andy Parsons discusses how he first got into comedy, what his creative process was like for his tour show Bafflingly Optimistic, and what he hopes audience members take away from it.
The John Dredge Nothing To Do With Anything Show
The critically acclaimed sketch show podcast is back for a sixth series. Press play now on the show Radio Times calls "chaotically imaginative and very funny" and The Observer notes is "wonderfully produced and refreshingly ridiculous".
TV listings
Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains
Rhod Gilbert is joined by guests Amy Gledhill, Emmanuel Sonubi and Michelle Visage to roll back the clock.
Meet The Richardsons
The two final episodes. Lucy's 40th birthday party goes sour when she lets slip that this might be the last ever episode.
A League Of Their Own
Jamie Redknapp, Mo Gilligan, Jill Scott and Micah Richards - as well as super-substitute Maisie Adam - set out on an adventure around Mexico.
Trying
The fourth series of the comedy about a couple who have adopted kids launches this Wednesday with two episodes.
Hold The Front Page
The West Yorkshire city of Bradford is famous for curry, culture and crime. This week the boys are tasked with finding "good news" stories to improve the city's reputation.
Inside No. 9
An episode filmed via a doorbell. The residents of Mulberry Close are keen to welcome their new neighbours, but there's something about Damon and Val that doesn't seem quite right.
Taskmaster
As the series climax approaches, Little Alex Horne risks raising notoriously prickly Greg Davies's hackles with a task in celebration of himself.
Joe & Katherine's Bargain Holidays
Joe Wilkinson and Katherine Ryan head to Northern Ireland for a riotous lads' holiday at a bargain price in this fifth episode. The final episode - in Montenegro - is on Friday at 11:05pm.
Have I Got News For You
University Challenge host Amol Rajan takes charge, with Richard Osman and Baroness Ruth Davidson as the guests.
The Young Offenders
Conor is becoming an increasing nuisance in Healy and Mairéad's house, and when Healy shares that he's going on a fishing trip to where he grew up, Mairead insists he bring Connor.
The Cancellation Of Jim Davidson
The comedian and presenter offers an in-depth exploration of his life, unique career, and the controversies that have surrounded him in this 90-minute documentary.
Dave's Games
A 15-minute animated comedy set in a video games shop in 1995. The voice cast includes Jessica Gunning, Jamie Demetriou and Emily Atack.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
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Inside No. 9 - Series NinePemberton and Shearsmith's award-winning anthology returns for a final series of deliciously dark tales that will leave you shaking with fear or shrieking with laughter. Or both. A complete collection of all nine series is also available. |
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We're In BusinessFirst broadcast on the BBC Home Service, We're In Business ran for two series between 1959 and 1960. It starred Peter Jones as dodgy small-time businessman Dudley Grosvenor, who's always looking to make a fast buck with his crooked schemes - usually at the expense of his hapless sidekick, Harry (Harry Worth). Dudley spends his life lurching from one crisis to another, secure in the belief that "it might never happen" - but when it inevitably does, both men end up in a fix... Collected here are eight surviving episodes, in which Dudley and Harry get involved in various comic misadventures - from being stitched up by Dudley's devious elderly relative to monkeying around with a stuffed gorilla and attempting to flog off their landlady's feathered friend... Written by Peter Jones and a team including the legendary Barry Took and Marty Feldman, these hilarious recordings also star Irene Handl and Dick Emery, with special guests including Beryl Reid, Hugh Paddick, Doris Hare and Wallas Eaton. |
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The Bells Go Down - Vintage ClassicsSet in the heart of wartime London, this 1943 masterpiece from Ealing Studios vividly captures the urgency of the era, epitomised by the alarm bells that pierce the air with each call to action. Under the visionary production of Michael Balcon and the deft direction of Basil Dearden, this ensemble piece starring Tommy Trinder and James Mason vividly chronicles the trials and triumphs of the ordinary heroes of the British Auxiliary Fire Service from the eve of the war to the relentless aerial bombardment of the Blitz. Seamlessly blending fictional settings with authentic wartime footage, the film portrays the camaraderie and rivalry between the part-time AFS and the full-time London Fire Brigade. With a profound exploration of character motivations and harrowing experiences, The Bells Go Down delivers a poignant testament to sacrifice and solidarity and the indomitable spirit of an entire nation. |
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Seize Them!Brimming with warmth, humour and swordfights, Seize Them! is a comedy road movie set in the dark ages. The egotistical and clueless Queen Dagan is toppled from her throne. She'll need help to survive as a fugitive and win back her kingdom. With her new friends, a castle worker and a muck shoveler, she begins her quest for justice. The film's star cast includes Aimee Lou Wood, Nicola Coughlan, Lolly Adefope, Nick Frost, Jessica Hynes and James Acaster. |
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Lovejoy - The Complete CollectionThe classic BBC series is back on DVD in July. Ian McShane stars as the eponymous, irresistible rogue with a keen eye for antiques. The divvie and part-time detective scours the murky salerooms, auction halls and stately homes of Britain, always on the lookout for a find. Whether it s a priceless old master or a pretty young lady, his love of beauty is sure to land this modern day Robin Hood in trouble wherever he goes. |
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Big Banana Feet - Dual Format EditionCapturing 'The Big Yin' on and off stage during his 1975 tour of Ireland, Big Banana Feet is a captivating record of Connolly on the cusp of international stardom. Inspired by the fly-on-the-wall style of DA Pennebaker's Bob Dylan documentary Don't Look Back, director Murray Grigor and cinematographer David Peat present Connolly at his beguiling best, using humour and charm to successfully navigate the political tensions of 1970s Dublin and Belfast. Featuring iconic stand-up material alongside fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses, this previously elusive milestone of British comedy is now newly restored in 2K (from original 16mm materials), reaffirming the genius that has endeared Connolly to generations of fans. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Dope Fiend
A 15 minute short via Film4. Set in a medical waiting room, this surrealist sci-fi-comedy follows one woman's journey to discover what life is like for her neurodiverse partner.
Mo <3 Kyra
A 13 minute riotous comedy set during a high school prom about a girl's last chance to let the girl of her dreams know how she feels about her.
Claudia Winkleman's ideas for The Traitors Series 3
Suchandrika Chakrabarti imagines Claudia Winkleman sharing her creative ideas for the next series of The Traitors.
Alex Mitchell - Britain's Got Talent
Alex Mitchell delivered a stand-up routine about his dating life on the talent show at the weekend.
We Are Lady Parts - Series 2 trailer
Nida Manzoor's anarchic and irreverent music comedy about a Muslim female punk band is back for a second series on Thursday 30th May.
Actor in a house share
A sketch about actors who live in house shares with non-actors.
Comedy Central Live - Limahl Germain
Limahl Germain on gentrification and why he's right to be cautious of his mate Ian.
Spotlight
The Goose Steps Out
A comic master and early cinema superstar, Will Hay starred in this wonderful comedy film from 1942. He plays a dual role as a leading, notorious Nazi general and his doppelgänger, the mild-mannered English school teacher William Potts. Dropped behind enemy lines in search of a devastating new top-secret weapon the German war machine is developing, he soon infiltrates the Hitler Youth. The film remains funny more than 80 years on, and was recently fully restored. Look out for famous faces including Peter Ustinov and Charles Hawtrey.
The actor's appreciation society is presenting Will Hay Day on 15th June in Leicestershire.
Thanks for reading
Sean Fee delivered this BCG Pro Gag-a-Week entry on the topic of memories:
My grandfather was a sailor who could never remember the alphabet, he died at C.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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