TV Review: Panto!

Panto! did have its moments, with some neat one-liners as well as a couple of admittedly very funny scenes, most notably the aforementioned 'Like a Virgin' segment. Ultimately though, it was rather rushed, clumsy and uneven with the end result being instantly forgettable.

John Bishop wrote and stars in this comedy drama, inspired by his own experiences on the pantomime circuit. He plays Lewis Loud, a Morecambe FM DJ making his stage debut as Jack the Lad in a run of Dick Whittington in Lancaster.

The production is in chaos because Lewis is romantically involved with Tamsin, a soap actress who's playing principal boy Dick (Mrs Biggs' and Gavin & Stacey's Sheridan Smith). Not only that, but old ham Johnny Darby (Michael Cochrane) is a very reluctant pantomime Dame and The One and Only 90s chart star Chesney Hawkes is a walking disaster.

Right now, John Bishop feels like the most inescapable presence on British TV. But that doesn't mean he hasn't paid his dues - this comedy drama, co-written with Jonathan Harvey probably represents the last leg of J-Bish's journey from the showbiz margins to centre stage. Fittingly, it's inspired by his own adventures on the pantomime circuit - here, he plays Lewis Loud, a Morecambe FM DJ making his debut in a run of Dick Whittington. Look out for supporting turns from the equally hardworking Sheridan Smith and the slightly less prolific Chesney Hawkes, whose career has followed an almost geometrically opposite trajectory to that of Bishop. No preview material was available as we went to press, but we'd confidently stick our money on a cheerful, rough-around-the-edges but essentially good natured romp which might well slip down easily in Christmas week.

Review: Panto!

Comedian's co-written comic drama follows festive conventions flawlessly.

John Bishop and Sheridan Smith interview

John Bishop and Sheridan Smith talk about serving up perfect Christmas fare from the wings of Dick Whittington.

No relation to the Simon Nye-scripted ITV offerings from the turn of the millennium, this John Bishop-devised comedy drama peeks behind the scenes of a provincial panto. Radio jock Lewis Loud (Bishop) is preparing for his stage debut while wooing co-starring soap actor Tamsin (Sheridan Smith), while ex-wife Gina has plans to disrupt any backstage harmony. Whatever you may think of Bishop, a cast including Samantha Spiro and (yes!) Chesney Hawkes suggests this may be a decent accompaniment to the annual search for that elusive final Quality Street fudge.

Sheridan Smith & John Bishop interview

Comic John Bishop teams up with actress Sheridan Smith for the festive comedy-drama Panto!