Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 19th May 2025 |
Latest comedy news
Not Going Out announces evolution plus Series 15 commission
Not Going Out is due to return to BBC One in June for Series 14, with the characters of Lee and Lucy moving away from their suburban 'empty nest' to a new house in the countryside. A fifteenth series, for 2026, has also been confirmed today.
Dead Ringers to return with Jon Holmes as producer
Topical impression show Dead Ringers is to return to Radio 4 in June. Following the death of creator Bill Dare, the BBC has now appointed The Skewer and The Naked Week's Jon Holmes as producer.
Academic support staff comedy Schooled coming to Channel 4
Channel 4 has commissioned Schooled, a six-part comedy series based on writer Delia-René Donaldson's real experiences of working in pastoral care at a London school.
Last One Laughing UK Series 2 confirmed
Amazon has confirmed it has ordered a second series of Last One Laughing UK, following the success of the launch series. Jimmy Carr will return for six more episodes.
The Skewer wins gold at Radio Academy Awards 2025
Radio 4's topical format The Skewer won the gold award in the comedy category at The Radio Academy ARIAS. Green Wing: Resuscitated was runner-up, with Help I Sexted My Boss taking bronze.
Audio sequel to You Rang, M'Lord? announced
The recording of an audio sequel to David Croft and Jimmy Perry's hit BBC television comedy series You Rang, M'Lord? has been announced.
Stephen Buchanan pilots Tapped for BBC Three
Stephen Buchanan and Dinosaur director Niamh McKeown have reunited for a Glasgow-set BBC Three sitcom pilot, with Tapped also featuring Leah Macrae, Dylan Blore and Lisa Ambalavanar.
Operation Mincemeat to tour the UK in 2026
Operation Mincemeat, the hit comedy musical that has more than 70 five-star press reviews, is to tour the UK across 2026.
FYI
Sophie Willan reveals pregnancy; Robin Ince publishes poetry collection; Have I Got News For You USA renewed for Series 3; Newcastle gets a new comedy club at Digital nightclub; Aisling Bea and Sam Campbell to play Angel Comedy Street Party 2025; Shaun The Sheep Series 7 starts on BBC on Saturday 24th May; Simon Pegg's Toy Story; and Rosie Jones sitcom Pushers launches in June
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Features
Alex Horne interview
Alex Horne talks about the second series of his sitcom, which starts on Channel 4 on Thursday.
Remembering dinnerladies
Today is Victoria Wood's birthday. Here is a new tribute to dinnerladies, the 1990s comedy she created. It was not just a funny sitcom, but a beautifully observed and generously written portrayal of everyday life.
Comedy Chronicles: He who downed the crown - The strange career of Dave King
Dave King was built from almost nothing by producer Ernest Maxin and took the world by storm. Then he all but disappeared. This is his story.
Puppets and Paul Daniels: An interview with Paul Zerdin
Paul Zerdin talks about how he made the jump from magician to ventriloquist (while still keeping some of the magic!), his creative process for shows, and an incident at the airport involving lost luggage.
First Gig, Worst Gig: Grubby Little Mitts
Heading to Soho with Eyes Closed, Mouths Open, Grubby Little Mitts take us back through their messy pasts.
British Comedy Quiz #357
A quiz about times that European languages have appeared in British comedy. It's a fun one!
Random 8: Alex Mitchell
Preparing to help launch Sunderland's Spacebar Comedy Club, Alex Mitchell reveals an O Briain debacle, his formative TV crush and whether Richard Madeley is human.
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TV listings
Silence Is Golden
Efforts to bring the audience's prize money down (by making them laugh) include some very special fire performers, Jedward, and sets from Spencer Jones, Reuben Kaye, Jin Hao Li and Suzi Ruffell.
Building Betty & Joan's
An interesting and entertaining documentary series following comedians David Ian, Kate Dale and Jeremy Topp as they move the Queer Comedy Club to a purpose-built building and launch a bar alongside it.
Taskmaster
Little Alex Horne has trouser issues. Meanwhile, Mathew Baynton strikes a memorable pose and Fatiha El-Ghorri demonstrates her acting chops.
Rocket Fuel
The latest BBC pilot. On a Bradford estate, Lenny and Mullet find an abandoned car and turn it into a DIY spaceship.
The Horne Section TV Show
The second series of the sitcom starring Alex Horne and his band. Reggie Watts joins the show.
Have I Got News For You
Victoria Coren Mitchell hosts. Chris McCausland has been confirmed as a guest panellist, as well as broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.
Shaun The Sheep
The start of the seventh series of the animated comedy. BBC One viewers can watch A Close Shave before it, and Vengeance Most Fowl follows. Meanwhile the first movie is on CBBC at 5pm.
Blankety Blank
Brian Conley, Kate Garraway, Jonathan Ross, Ruth Madeley, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Phil Wang fill in the blanks this time.
Brian Cox Remembers... Bob Servant
Brian Cox looks back on Bob Servant, the sitcom he starred in before taking on Succession. Three episodes then follow.
Death Valley
A new comedy drama about an ambitious young detective who teams up with the retired actor who played her TV cop show hero. Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth star.
For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.
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Adam Buxton - I Love You, ByeeeThe long-awaited new memoir from comic Adam Buxton, and follow-up to the bestselling Ramble Book. "Hey, how you doing, casual browser? Adam Buxton here. In I Love You, Byeee, I reminisce with hilarious and heart-warming candour about working with Joe Cornish and revolutionising the worlds of DIY TV and podcasting. You'll hear about my crazy times hanging out with notorious rock' n' roll hellraisers. I write with humour and heart-breaking poignancy about the challenges of parenting, losing my mother and the drug hell that led to me nearly dying in the arms of a comedy legend. There's also a bit about arguing with my wife, getting instructions on edginess from Louis Theroux, going on Bake Off and much more that you didn't ask for but definitely need." |
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The Beatles: A Hard Day's NightMeet The Beatles! Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. This film, in which the bandmates play slapstick versions of themselves, captured the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever. Directed with raucous, anything-goes verve by Richard Lester and featuring a slew of iconic pop anthems - including the title track, Can't Buy Me Love, I Should Have Known Better, and If I Fell - A Hard Day's Night, which reconceived the movie musical and exerted an incalculable influence on the music video, is one of the most deliriously entertaining movies of all time. This new 4K digital restoration was approved by director Richard Lester. |
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The House Of Unspeakable SecretsAn eight-part comedy thriller starring Leslie Phillips. Hilaire is a famous Mayfair hairdresser - he is also a secret agent. Returning from Hamburg with a secret tape revealing the hide-out of a top wartime Nazi, he finds an attractive blonde half-strangled in his sleeping compartment on the Nord Express train. He soon wonders if there is more to her than meets the eye... |
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The Taming Of The ShrewRichard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor star in The Taming Of The Shrew, a vibrant and bawdy adaptation of Shakespeare's immortal romantic comedy from director Franco Zeffirelli. Newly remastered and released for the first time in HD, it's packed with special features. Nobleman Baptista (Michael Hordern) seeks husbands for his two daughters. Bianca (Natasha Pyne) has no trouble attracting suitors, but the headstrong and acerbic Kate (Taylor) drives men away... until the nobleman Petruchio (Burton) is inspired by a sizeable dowry to take on the challenge. This lavish production's all-star cast is rounded out by Cyril Cusack, Michael York, Alan Webb, and Victor Spinetti, and features a soundtrack by Nino Rota. |
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John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - The SpecialsIn 2023 John Finnemore and the Souvenir Programme team returned to Radio 4 with a new format - annual, one-off, 45-minute specials. Some are in the style of Series 1-8, with sketches, jokes and songs, while others are more discursive and experimental, like Series 9. Collected together here, the trilogy feature his trusty ensemble cast of Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Simon Kane, Lawry Lewin and Carrie Quinlan. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Keir Starmer after stopping immigration
A sketch from Munya Chawawa. Keir Starmer ends up in hospital after stopping immigration.
Comedy Central Live - Chris McCausland
Chris McCausland's stage debut left a real lasting impression, and some very difficult stains on very white dresses...
Spotlight
Romany Jones
Much-missed Dad's Army star James Beck was the original lead in this LWT/Thames sitcom, which had to be re-engineered after his tragic, early death between Series 2 and 3. He played with Jo Rowbottom against Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts, as two couples living a not-quite nomadic life on a decrepit caravan site. Jonathan Cecil and Gay Soper replaced them from Series 3. Penned by esteemed writers Wolfe & Chesney (The Rag Trade, On The Buses), it ran for four series and a further two in spin-off Yus, My Dear.
Thanks for reading
Chris Ballard submitted this to the BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition:
My mate's a bodybuilder but he's not very bright. I call him 'the modern high street' because he's a vacant unit.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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