Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 4th November 2024 |
Latest comedy news
Martin Freeman leading improvised film Let's Love
From director Jamie Adams and now shooting in Wales, new part-improvised comedy feature Let's Love features a cast led by Martin Freeman.
Matt Forde, Laura Smyth, Ria Lina amongst Radio 4 comedy commissions
Radio 4 has ordered new comedy series starring Matt Forde, Laura Smyth, Ria Lina, Dara O Briain and Isy Suttie. It's also confirmed the return of formats from Frank Skinner, Michael Spicer, Chris McCausland, Glenn Moore and others.
Marcus Brigstocke announces tour about men
Marcus Brigstocke is going on tour in 2025 with a new show all about men.
Janey Godley dies aged 63
Stand-up comedian Janey Godley has died. She had been receiving palliative care after being diagnosed with cancer.
Paul Zerdin: Jaw Drop tour dates announced
Star ventriloquist Paul Zerdin has announced a run of 2025 tour dates for his next show, Jaw Drop.
Morecambe, Cooper & Monkhouse Last Laugh show to tour UK
A new play called The Last Laugh, focused on Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Bob Monkhouse, is to play in the West End as part of a UK tour, before appearing in New York.
Ludwig Series 2 confirmed
Having attracted nearly 10 million viewers with its opening series, Ludwig - the comedy drama series starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin - has been recommissioned.
Steve Coogan & John C. Reilly reunite for rival actor film The Players
Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly are reuniting for The Players, a comedy film about rival Victorian actors, written by Coogan's regular collaborator and Stan & Ollie scribe Jeff Pope, with Peter Cattaneo directing.
Abigoliah Schamaun and Joe Wells to write Neurodivergent Moments book
Comedians Abigoliah Schamaun and Joe Wells are to write Neurodivergent Moments, a book offering a collection of funny and relatable autobiographical essays with a neurodivergent theme.
FYI
Here We Go Series 3 now being filmed; Cally Beaton writes her first book, Namaste Motherf*ckers; and Beat the Frog World Series 2024 finalists.
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Features
Comedy Chronicles: Up and away: The big fall of Duggie Small
The sobering, warning story of comedian Duggie Small. He won TV talent show New Faces in 1986 but things did not go smoothly for him.
Nick Mohammed on bringing Mr Swallow to the West End
Nick Mohammed talks about preparing to bring the world of Mr Swallow to London's West End in the show A Christmas Carol (ish).
Red Dwarf USA: Failure to launch
Continuing a series of deep-dive articles looking at sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, we turn to the ill-fated early 90s adaptation of the programme for US television.
Beyond The Title podcast: Comedy top 5
Freelance writer and journalist Josh Barry has been presenting the Beyond The Title interview podcast for nearly a decade. As the show's 200th episode is published, we ask Josh to list his favourite five comedy-related guests.
First Gig, Worst Gig: Joey Page
Wayne Rooney, Busta Rhymes and a swimwear issue. On-tour Joey Page takes us back.
British Comedy Quiz #330
Have you been paying attention to all the reptiles that have been popping up in British comedy? There's more than you might think, and you'll need to have seen them all to get full marks in this quiz.
Random 8: John Shuttleworth
Celebrating 40 years at the Yamaha with a book and tour, John Shuttleworth reveals his two newsreader heroes and a camper-van stairway stowaway.
TV listings
Generation Z
The zombie comedy drama continues. A split breaks out among the OAPs as a newcomer turns Frank's head away from Cecily.
Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains
Emily Atack gets a surprise from her favourite boyband, Trevor Nelson recalls some dating mishaps and Sam Campbell reveals his rap battling past.
Alma's Not Normal
Joan has more shocking news. She writes a bucket list and demands Alma and Lin help her to complete it. They take an unforgettable trip to Blackpool.
QI
Sandi Toksvig hosts a very varied episode, joined by panellists Ross Noble, Sara Pascoe, Sally Phillips and Alan Davies.
Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Lucy Beaumont, Naughty Boy and Kate Nash join host Greg Davies and regulars Noel Fielding and Jamali Maddix, with Sophie Willan standing in again as captain.
BBC New Comedy Awards
Maria Fedulova, Rachel Hough, Jake Donaldson, Samira Banks and Marie Goulbourne perform in the final heat of this year's new act competition.
Taskmaster
Can Andy Zaltzman shoehorn cricket into yet another task? Will Jack Dee's son make his dad proud with some crucial information?
Everyone Else Burns
Aaron and David break into church leader Samson's house. It is a very nice house indeed.
Junior Taskmaster
A spin-off involving contestants aged 9 to 11 years old. Rose Matafeo is the Taskmaster in this version, with Mike Wozniak as her loyal assistant.
Have I Got News For You
In the week of the American election, host of CNN's new US version of HIGNFY, Roy Wood Jr., guest hosts this episode. Richard Osman and Roisin Conaty will be the panellists.
The Cleaner
Wicky is called to a wedding and meets Brummie kingpin Bob Mammot, the King of Storage.
The Last Leg
Frankie Boyle and Desiree Burch are signed up to appear on this topical episode, which will be reacting to the events of the US election.
Sweetpea
With suspicion swirling around Rhiannon, she and Julia make an uneasy truce - but will things go to plan?
The Graham Norton Show
Kate Winslet, Dwayne Johnson, Lucy Liu, Jennifer Lopez, Jharrel Jerome and Celeste are set to talk to the host.
Breaking The News
Another episode of the topical panel show hosted by Des Clarke.
Romesh Ranganathan's Parents' Evening
Mel B and her daughter Phoenix, Jonathan Ross and his daughter Honey, and Richard Madeley and his daughter Chloe compete in the comedy game show where success lies in the hands of the parents.
David Baddiel: My Family, Not The Sitcom
The first of three stand-up specials from David Baddiel. This one is "a massively disrespectful celebration of the lives of David's late mother, Sarah, and dementia-ridden father, Colin".
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
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An Absolute Casserole: The Taskmaster CompendiumHow many eggs have been broken in the making of this programme? What is the worst thing Alex has eaten? Are you more likely to win Taskmaster if you wear a hat? Why is the Taskmaster always right? This hilarious compendium celebrates a decade of inspired chaos. Relive the most outrageous tasks, iconic meltdowns, and ingenious victories from your favourite contestants. Inside you'll find unforgettable challenges, contestant blunders, inspired madness and Greg Davies's withering put-downs, behind the scenes tales, statistics and much more. This is the ultimate gift for any Taskmaster fanatic. |
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Frankie Boyle & Charlie Skelton - A Short History Of The ApocalypseA Short History Of The Apocalypse imagines a grotesque and bizzarro future where society has collapsed and it is everyone for themselves. Covering subjects from gangs and government to bunkers and cannibalism, A Short History Of The Apocalypse is a journey into our impending and doomed future. Guided by Alonso Lamp, a traveller in time, who has returned from the late 21st Century to impart to our cursed age his hard-earned wisdom and survival tips to give us some future perspective, Frankie Boyle and Charlie Skelton's sketching of the end times is full of dark humour and the macabre. |
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Rhys James - Spilt MilkFollowing an international tour, this is the streaming version of Spilt Milk, the stand-up show by Rhys James. Like everyone in their thirties, Rhys is now free from the burden of his own potential, never to be called 'young' for an achievement again, unless that achievement is dying. Or gout. Now older and wiser, Rhys has realised the key to improving society is giving New Year's Resolutions to each other, rather than ourselves. And so, after giving a lucky audience member the perfect resolution for their own life, Rhys sets them the task of writing a resolution for him. They have until the end of the show. In the meantime, they can watch as Rhys lambasts his Premier League footballer namesake, gives Wim Hof both barrels, deep dives into the Flawless vs Diversity street dance rivalry of Britain's Got Talent 2009, explains how marriage is soon to die out completely, beats Ernest Hemingway at his own game, and accidentally enacts the perfect revenge on a burglar. |
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Ted - A Pawtobiography: My Adventures On Gone FishingIt's hard to believe Ted was once a skinny, unwanted pup who was dumped outside an animal shelter, before he found fame and fortune alongside Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse on the BBC hit series Gone Fishing. In this exclusive exposé, Ted reveals what it's like working alongside two national treasures and what really happens when the cameras stop rolling. With searing honesty, he gives his unique viewpoint on living in a dog's world and how you - yes you - can make it a better place for everyone. This is his story, in his own words. Nearly all of it is true. |
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Cuckoo - The Complete SeriesWhat do you do when your darling daughter marries the biggest idiot you could ever imagine? In this BAFTA-nominated comedy, Greg Davies and Helen Baxendale are Ken and Lorna Thompson, uptight parents whose nightmares become reality when their daughter returns from abroad with a new husband in tow - a New Age slacker and self-styled spiritual ninja named Cuckoo. The series co-stars Andy Samberg as Cuckoo, Taylor Lautner as Dale, the Thompson's well-meaning but socially inept lodger, Tamla Kari (Series 1) and Esther Smith (Series 2 to 5) as their flighty, self-sabotaging daughter Rachel, Tyger Drew Honey as Dylan, their indolent liability of a son, and Kenneth Collard as their insufferable neighbour Steve. Series 5 also introduces Andie MacDowell. |
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Generation ZThe seemingly quiet town of Dambury. It's the last place you'd expect an apocalypse... until a chemical leak outside a care home leaves the local OAPs hungry for human flesh. The series follows a group of teenagers navigating the virus outbreak, along with all the complexities of normal teenage life. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Missing Nigel Farage - Broken News
Have you seen Nigel Paul Farage? The search continues for the missing 60-year-old man from Essex.
Shakespeare - First Dates Of History
William Shakespeare is meeting his future wife, the mysterious Anne Hathaway, for the very first time.
Dating Horror Stories - Here's Granny
Kyrah's new boyfriend Damien must face the ultimate test - meeting her terrifying Grandma...
Bad Energy
A comedy short written and directed by Paul G Raymond. It follows two friends who bump into their old schoolteacher.
Unhinged - What if dinosaurs were built different?
A new dinosaur has been discovered. It is a little different...
LMAOF: Edinburgh
The last of this series of stand-up shows recorded at the Fringe. Tiff Stevenson wants to deport men back to Mars, Teddy Hall tanks his sister's political campaign, and Erika Ehler tries to squash the millennial/Gen Z beef.
Mr Doom: Behind The 8 Ball - Trailer
This film about pool players, featuring a cast primarily made up of stand-up comedians, will be in selected Vue cinemas from 15th November.
Spotlight
Ladies Who Do
A wonderfully funny film that turned 60 this year, Ladies Who Do is a comedy satirising the speculative regeneration projects rife in inner city working class neighbourhoods of the era. Peggy Mount and Miriam Karlin lead the cast as cleaners working in London office blocks who take on their superiors in trying to save their beloved street from demolition. Written by Michael Pertwee, the star-studded cast also includes Harry H. Corbett, Ron Moody, Dandy Nichols and Jon Pertwee.
Thanks for reading
Barry Dunstall has won the latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition:
My Keir Starmer jokes are all so old and weak he's cut off their winter fuel allowance.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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