Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 31st March 2025 |
Latest comedy news
Bill Dare awarded Outstanding Contribution title at BBC Audio Awards
The 2025 Audio Drama Awards posthumously honoured producer Bill Dare with an Outstanding Contribution title last night.
Garth Marenghi announces final book in TerrorTome trilogy and tour
The novel Garth Marenghi's This Bursted Earth is to be published in October. A book tour featuring Matthew Holness as the character will run from October to May 2026.
Bravo Two Charlies PI spin-off coming to BBC Radio Wales
Police sitcom Bravo Two Charlies is getting a spin-off on BBC Radio Wales, with former North Wales traffic cops Dennis Babb and Lee Cushion, played by Martin Trenaman and Rhys Ap Trefor, setting up as private investigators in a new show, with the working title The Abergele Files.
Rosco McClelland wins Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award
Stand-up comic Rosco McClelland has been announced as the 2025 winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award.
Kenneth Williams reading the Bible to be broadcast on Radio 4
At the height of his fame in the 1970s, Kenneth Williams was asked to record excerpts from the Bible. Those recordings are to be broadcast for the first time on Radio 4 this April.
Esther Manito to set out on her biggest UK tour to date
Esther Manito is to set out on her biggest UK tour to date, performing her stand-up show Slagbomb between September 2025 and February 2026.
Robin Morgan seeks anonymous voice notes for 2026 stand-up tour
Stand-up show Robin Morgan: Let's Overshare! will tour between January and May 2026, and the comedian is looking for people to send in anonymous voice notes to feature in the performance.
Sky orders comedy dating show Gagging For It & Kae Kurd fitness series
Sky has commissioned a dating show hosted by stand-up Kyrah Gray that rewards singles with a good sense of humour, with Gagging For It one of four short-form comedy series that the broadcaster is launching on its YouTube channel next month, along with shows from comics Kae Kurd, Andrew Mensah and Stevo The Madman.
BAFTA TV Awards 2025 nominations
Alma's Not Normal, Brassic, G'wed and Ludwig are amongst the nominees in the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards.
James Corden & Ruth Jones win RTS Judges' Award
James Corden and Ruth Jones picked up the Judges' Award at the The Royal Television Society Awards for Gavin & Stacey. Other winners at the ceremony included Things You Should Have Done, Alma's Not Normal and Junior Taskmaster.
Battle In The Box 'shelved' after one series
Battle In The Box, the U&Dave comedy show format fronted by Jimmy Carr, is reportedly being "rested".
Darkly comedic Cold War thriller Honey in production for BBC One
BBC One has commissioned Honey, a "tender and flirty, slick and dangerous darkly comedic Cold War thriller". The series by Extraordinary creator Emma Moran focuses on a 24 year-old MI6 agent in East Berlin in 1982 who is drawn into a deadly and dysfunctional love triangle.
Iain Stirling's Roast The Internet comes to Comedy Central
Iain Stirling is to host a new Comedy Central show about the worst things online, with Iain Stirling's Roast The Internet finding the stand-up and Twitch streamer joined by three famous guests to mock some of the most dreadful web content that they're allowed to legally discuss on broadcast television.
FYI
Stephen Fry to host PG Wodehouse celebration; The Wrestling to relaunch as Clash Of The Comics via Apollo show; Paddy Young releases stand-up special on YouTube; Seven Dials Playhouse to launch sketch collective; The Iceman performance available for download; Iain Stirling to host BBC Two sand sculptures show; Alex Horne's Taskmaster fears for contestants' "cancellation"; Frank Skinner, Stewart Lee, Al Murray & Alex Lowe open music gigs; Queer Comedy Club's search for new home inspires docuseries; and First look at Just Act Normal.
Features
Comedy Rewind: Going Straight (Fletch lives!)
We look back at Going Straight, the sequel to Porridge which is well worth spending a few hours inside for.
Balls Etc: Lewis Costello - Blackburn's matchday man goes roving
He's a Blackburn Rover: football club announcer and stand-up Lewis Costello is heading out on tour. But where do wrestling and Floyd Mayweather enter the picture?
First Gig, Worst Gig: Geoff Norcott
Grim green rooms, self-heckles in Helmand Province and a Romesh/Ryan dream: Geoff Norcott takes on FGWG2.
Johnny Ball: "Comedy means not dull"
As his book My Previous Life In Comedy is published, we talk to Johnny Ball about working the clubs in the 1960s, entertaining the troops, his friendship with Harry Secombe, and more.
Soupy Twists Again!
Author Jem Roberts outlines the return of his officially authorised Fry & Laurie celebration - plus, an Audible giveaway!
Stephen Catling / William Thompson / Mitch Benn - Bobby Carroll's Glasgow Comedy Diary: Day 2
From the weird and messy of prop comic untethered by formulaic material to seeing an old master celebrate the very existence of live comedy, Bobby packs in another full day at GICF 2025.
Interviewing an improviser: Kiell Smith-Bynoe on Kool Story Bro
Kiell Smith-Bynoe talks about his improv show format Kool Story Bro. Plus: how he first got started in the world of comedy, preparing for improv shows and more.
British Comedy Quiz #350
Popping up this time: Chelmsford 123, To The Manor Born, Miranda Hart and more.
Random 8: Matthew McAloone
Copycat cars, loyalty-card aggro and curtailed Narnia business: Matthew McAloone takes the test.
TV listings
A League Of Their Own: The Rally
The panel show's rally series continues, with the teams heading through Dijon to the Alps. Along the way they compete in a series of high-octane challenges, including paramotoring.
Neil & Martin's Bon Voyage
Neil and Martin head out to fish for their supper off the coast of Biarritz, participate in an eccentric "festival of corn" before heading for the peaks of the Pyrenees where they hit some unexpected weather.
The Change
Two more episodes. The women's revolution has brought the town to a standstill and the men and women are at an impasse.
Rob Beckett's Smart TV
Joining Rob and team captains Josh and Alison for the quiz about all things telly is Strictly champion and top comic Chris McCausland, star of stage and screen Jason Watkins, Ghosts and Fresh Meat alumn Charlotte Ritchie, and the legendary daytime presence that is Richard Madeley.
Small Town, Big Story
Wendy returns to Drumbán whilst others gather in the woods.
Have I Got News For You
The panel show returns for a new run. Alexander Armstrong is set to front this episode, a record 42nd appearance as guest host. Steph McGovern and Phil Wang complete the panels.
Big Fat Quiz: Best Bits
A new series of special compilation episodes looking back on the biggest laughs from 20 years of the panel show format.
The Jonathan Ross Show
Jack Dee will be on the chat show this weekend. Plus: Viola Davis, Will Poulter and Simple Minds.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
Shop
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Erik The VikingA new Blu-ray release for this 1989 film written and directed by Terry jones. A viking with a conscience, Erik (Tim Robbins) tires of pillaging and decides to set out on a quest. When the wise Freya (Eartha Kitt) informs Erik that a great mythic wolf has eaten the sun, the warrior resolves to venture to Asgard, home of the Norse gods, to set things right. |
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I'm All Right JackFeaturing an award-winning and uproarious performance from Peter Sellers, I'm All Right Jack is a classic British comedy with a satirical edge. Sellers plays both the stuffy financier Sir John Kennaway and the tragicomic trade union leader Fred Kite. The result is laugh-out-loud farce that lampoons labour relations. |
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Helen Lederer - Not That I'm BitterHelen Lederer's book will be out in paperback soon. What was it like as one of a handful of women at the heart of the right-on alternative comedy scene in the 1980s? Piece of cake? Bit of a laugh? Well, yes, and no. It had its ups - but also its downs. She explains all in this memoir. |
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Heavens Above!Peter Sellers gives one of his most memorable performances in Heavens Above! (1963). He stars as Reverend John Smallwood, an idealistic prison chaplain who is accidentally assigned to a wealthy parish who frowns upon his progressive ideas, like his insistence on ministering to the poor. His actions start offending not only the townspeople but the religious hierarchy and even the government itself. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Sleepless in Settle
A 22 minute short film starring Thelma Barlow. Alan is 72 and lives with his mother Barbara. She worries about him being left on his own and, after watching the film Sleepless In Seattle, hatches a plan to find him a nice lady.
Am I Being Unreasonable? - Series 2 bloopers
Some of the moments cut out of the second series of Am I Being Unreasonable?.
Roman
Are you ready for your history lesson today? Here's some little known facts about the Romans that are completely true and definitely not made up. Katie Pritchard says: "Look at that authentic Roman toga I'm wearing!! Corrrr!!"
Poetic Justice
Sometimes it'd be better just to stick to the slightly less poetic justice...
Comic Relief - OASIS: The Reunion: The Movie
This Red Nose Day 2025 sketch is now online to watch. An Inbetweeners reunion is on the cards as James Buckley and Joe Thomas take on the roles of legendary Gallagher brothers.
Allergens
"Can I just check if there are any allergies we need to be aware of?"
Comedy Central Live - Kemah Bob
From sexist ads to stinky carpets, Kemah Bob is soaking in the rain and waiting patiently for that rainbow.
Spotlight
Magicians
From the writers and stars of Peep Show - Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong, David Mitchell and Robert Webb - came this delightful comedy film set in the competitive world of magic. Released in 2007 and criminally forgotten since, it follows a famed illusionist duo who split after a terrible betrayal and ensuing accident, attempting to reunite five years later, their solo careers having stalled. Darren Boyd plays a near-Superhans, with the wonderful cast also including Steve Edge, Jessica Hynes and Peter Capaldi.
Thanks for reading
Barry Dunstall submitted this astronomy-themed joke to the BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition:
I came last in an astronomy quiz, but I did get a constellation prize.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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