British Comedy Guide - Weekly Newsletter


Weekly Newsletter	Monday 10th November 2014

We start with the list that everyone interested in TV comedy has been waiting for: The British Comedy Awards 2014 nominations.

Latest Comedy News

	British Comedy Awards 2014 nominees The nominees for the British Comedy Awards 2014 have been revealed. See the shortlist for all 16 categories here. Toast Of London leads the list. Read
	Fresh Meat writers confirm work on Series 4 Fresh Meat writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong have confirmed that they are working on a fourth series of the university-set comedy-drama. Read
	BBC Four's Detectorists to return for Series 2 Mackenzie Crook's BBC Four sitcom Detectorists will return for a second series in 2015, it has been confirmed. Read
	Boy band Blue fooled in new prank show Boy band Blue are the unwitting subjects of a new prank show, in which they attempt to run a beach-front bar in Ibiza staffed by comic actors. Read
	Michael McIntyre will host 2014 Royal Variety Performance Michael McIntyre will present the prestigious annual Royal Variety Performance this year, with acts including Dame Shirley Bassey, Sarah Millican and Ed Sheeran. Read
	British comedy Nudinits is first all-knitted animation Nudinits, a 22 minute stop frame animation, has been published online. This British comedy is notable as it has taken 2 years to create, with every scene knitted by hand. Read

Also of interest...

Here are some pages on other websites that you might also be interested in...

- Monty Python have turned down $32 million to undertake a world tour: The Daily Mirror

- An article saying goodbye to Teddington Studios where many classic shows were filmed. It's closing later this month: The Sunday Express

- Simon Brodkin, aka Lee Nelson, invaded the X Factor stage at the weekend: The Daily Mail

- A petition has been started up against against Dapper Laughs. But ITV says "his unique brand of banter and brash charm is neither sexist nor degrading to women". The Independent

- Fake planning notices put up around Brighton by comedian Phil Lucas have made the news. See them here: ITV

For lots more, including Maid Marian And Her Merry Men, the on-going right wing comedy debate, Count Arthur Strong, and Keith Lemon see our social media accounts or BCG Daily page:

Features

	Babylon interviews James Nesbitt, Nicola Walker, Paterson Joseph, Bertie Carvel, Jill Halfpenny, Adam Deacon and Jonny Sweet talk about Channel 4 comedy drama Babylon. Read
	Puppy Love interview The creators of new sitcom Puppy Love introduce the show, and explain how they let the canine stars in the show improvise rather than follow a script. Read
	The shocking truth behind Churchill's great speeches An interview with Toby DeWinter, the historian who has discovered that Winston Churchill was actually a foul mouthed Northerner. Read
	Ivo Graham interview Up-and-coming stand-up comedian Ivo Graham answers our combative questions with patience and wit. Read
	Steve Coogan podcast For the 50th episode of his podcast interview show, Richard Herring interviews the one and only Steve Coogan! There's some funny stuff in this. Listen
	Mark Thomas interview For the 75th Circuit Training column, our first return visitor, and a suitably epic chat with Mark Thomas. He's on often eyebrow-raising form, about arms sales, corporate spying, conspiracy theories, ISIS, Labour, and more. Read
	Some of the best Twop Twips analysed The best advice from the Twitter feed @TwopTwips has been put into a book. Creator David Harris comments on some of the top tips here. Read
	Craig Campbell: My living hell Stand-up Craig Campbell has got early onset osteoarthritis. He has a bit of a rant about it in this entertaining blog post. Read
	Noel Fielding interview Noel Fielding talks about the artistic aims for his live comedy tour, and the reception to his TV sketch show Luxury Comedy. Read

TV Listings

Here is a guide to the new British comedy on TV this week. Friday is quiet this week because Children In Need takes over telly.

	Trollied Monday, Sky1, 8:30pm We meet more new characters in the second episode of the fourth series. While salvation arrives for Gavin in the form of new assistant manager Daniel, sparks fly when VIP till girl Charlie also hits Valco. Guide
	Never Mind The Buzzcocks Monday, BBC Two, 10pm The regulars on the pop quiz are joined by pop legend Lisa Stansfield, Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic and comedians Aisling Bea and Joe Lycett. Guide
	8 Out Of 10 Cats Monday, Channel 4, 10pm Sarah Millican, Melanie C, Charlotte Ritchie and David O'Doherty are the guests booked this time to help Sean and Jon look at the topical stories of the week. Guide
	Scot Squad Monday, BBC One Scotland, 10:35pm This week city cops PC McLaren and PC Fletcher are involved in an undercover bust whilst rural officers MacKay and McIntosh get a whiff of something dodgy on a local farm. Guide
	Toast Of London Monday, Channel 4, 10:50pm More madcap fun. Ray Purchase snitches on Toast to the 'Tax People', meaning he is forced to do some particularly unattractive jobs to pay off his bill. Guide
	Give Out Girls Tuesday, Comedy Central, 9:30pm A new recruit - George - joins the gang to promote frozen chips. She's lovely and sticks up for Marilyn against the group - but she's a bit on the whiffy side. Guide
	Bad Robots Tuesday, E4, 10pm A new hidden camera show in which electronic machines are rigged up to prank unsuspecting members of the public. See our guide for a couple of preview clips. With voices including that of the one and only Sir Michael Gambon, this could become a bit of a cult hit. Guide
	The Revolution Will Be Televised Tuesday, BBC Three, 10:30pm Dale Maily files a special report from New Orleans, the home of jazz and drunken debauchery. Meanwhile the street magician Alternator tricks unsuspecting gamblers in Vegas. Guide
	Sweat The Small Stuff Wednesday, BBC Three, 10pm More unimportant questions, mixed with studio games. Pixie Lott, Russell Kane, Romesh Ranganathan and Dane Baptiste are the guests. Kane and host Grimmy sometimes get confused with each other in public... could be fun. Guide
	Drifters Thursday, E4, 9pm Beautiful, free-spirited Leia arrives. Meg and Bunny know Leia from their trip to India, and everyone thinks she's amazing - except Meg, that is. Guide
	Monty Python: The Meaning Of Live Thursday, Gold, 9pm A one-off documentary focusing on the live shows by Monty Python, featuring rare backstage footage and new interviews. See our guide for a clip featuring Brian Cox and Stephen Hawking. Guide
	Russell Howard's Good News Thursday, BBC Two, 10pm Russell Howard points to some more stuff he's found on telly that has made him laugh. If you live outside the UK you can now see the episodes in full for free on YouTube, so maybe check that out. Guide
	Puppy Love Thursday, BBC Four, 10pm A new comedy from the creators of Getting On. Set around a Wirral-based dog training class, it stars the brilliant Joanna Scanlan and Vicki Pepperdine. Guide
	Babylon Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm Following the pilot earlier in the year, here comes a full series of the police-based comedy drama focusing on the over-stretched Metropolitan Police Force. We're looking forward to this. Guide
	Celebrity Juice Thursday, ITV2, 10pm The guests joining Keith Lemon this time include This Morning's Ruth Langsford, singer and presenter Peter Andre, and singer Olly Murs. Guide
	Alan Carr: Chatty Man Friday, Channel 4, 10pm Alan Carr doesn't have Graham Norton to contend with this week (Norton is taking a week off because of Children In Need). Russell Howard will be amongst the guests, and he doesn't often make chat show appearances. Guide
	Comedy Central At The Comedy Store Friday, Comedy Central, 10:40pm More stand-up from the famous venue. Shappi Khorsandi wants the best for her son and Gary Delaney is all about the one-liners. Guide
	Perry And Croft: Made In Britain Saturday, BBC One, 8pm The first in a new documentary series looking at the celebrated sitcoms created by the writing double-act of Jimmy Perry and David Croft. This first instalment looks at Britain through times of war and peace. Guide
	The Jonathan Ross Show Saturday, ITV, 9:55pm Jonathan Ross welcomes Michael Palin to the show. Also appearing are chef Gordon Ramsay, singer Katherine Jenkins and actor Carey Mulligan. Kasabian provide the music. Guide

For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule.

New Products

	Not Going Out - Series Six PRE-ORDER. Not Going Out Series 6 follows the hilariously ill-thought-out plans and mishaps of Lee as he desperately tries to impress long-suffering landlady and object of his affection, Lucy (Sally Bretton). Many viewers missed Tim Vine from this series, but it still has some fantastically funny episodes, and plenty of Bobby Ball as Lee's even more useless father. Details
	The Indian Doctor - Series 1 - 3 OUT NOW. All 15 episodes from the first three series of the BBC comedy starring Sanjeev Bhaskar as an Indian doctor who ends up in a sleepy Welsh mining village in the 1960s. Dr Prem Sharma arrives from India eager to meet his new patients and settle into the community. However, his aristocratic wife finds it harder to adapt, and the local residents aren't certain what to think either. Details
	Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Limited Edition Steel Pack OUT NOW. From Indians in Britain to Brits in India. If you know someone who's a particular fan of the charming 2012 comedy-drama, why not treat them to this special, limited edition, steel-cased Blu-ray release of the film? Starring Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie and Maggie Smith, the cast couldn't be better. A sequel will be released in February. Details
	Detectorists PRE-ORDER. Did you see the news that this slow-paced BBC Four sitcom has been recommissioned? A bit of a slow-burner, it picked up very positive reviews, and quite the cult following over its six episodes, and will subsequently be back late next year. Mackenzie Crook (who also writes and directs) stars with Toby Jones as Andy and Lance, members of a small metal detecting club. Details
	Monty Python Live (Mostly) - One Down Five To Go PRE-ORDER. The reunion of the 5 survivng Pythons for a string of live dates in London was, undoubtedly, the comedy event of the year. Were you lucky enough to attend? Did you catch the last night's broadcast on Gold? Yes or no to either, many comedy fans will want this in their Christmas stocking: Blu-ray Details & DVD Details & Blu-ray, DVD AND CD Set Details

For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.

Comedy Videos

	Morph - Episode 10: Selfie 'Selfies' are all the rage nowadays... so much so that even Morph has got in on the act. Well, disrupting Chas taking one anyway. Watch
	John Lewis Christmas Advert - Appeal A spoof of the John Lewis advert. This was published just a few hours after the commercial was revealed, demonstrating how quick comedy creators can work with video nowadays. Watch
	Jayde Adams - Winning Stand-Up Set Here is the stand-up set that won Jayde Adams the Funny Women Awards 2014 prize. Watch
	Casual Violence - Lonely Ventriloquist Dummy Footage from a Casual Violence show. Observe as a dying ventriloquist says goodbye to Quentin, his beloved dummy. Watch

Message Board Posts...

Here are some quotes from our message board...

"I think he has a tour coming up and tickets to sell, that's why he has followed this lead. Let's face it, we are all talking about him, aren't we? He was becoming increasing irrelevant otherwise." Piccadilly Comedy Club on Andrew Lawrence

"Pale shadow of its former self now I'm afraid!" gb901 on Trollied

"A very good start to the series." Will Cam on Toast Of London

"Yes ended on a real high, Ep6 was superb with lots of poignant moments as well as laughs." StephenM on Scrotal Recall

"As a complete addict detectorist, me and some friends watched the episodes and were surprised about the many small details, truths, frustrations, situations, sometimes funny and sometimes less, in the existence of the detectorist. This is not only simply a comedy but much more." mtc cocoon wim on Detectorists

"It's a comical series. Not earth shattering, just comical." Stephen Goodlad on Citizen Khan

Guide Spotlight

20 years of The Vicar Of Dibley

On the 10th of November 1994 a new sitcom went out on BBC One, introducing viewers to the eccentric inhabitants of the sleepy Oxfordshire village of Dibley in the process. The public quickly took Geraldine, David, Hugo, Alice, Frank, Jim, Owen and Letitia to heart. Lead by Dawn French, the sitcom went on to become one of the country's most loved comedies.

Whilst the show was primarily aiming to make people laugh, it also had a subtle political message about the roles of females in the Church of England to deliver. Earlier this year, in real life, the General Synod voted to allow women to become bishops. After 20 years, it's mission complete for Geraldine Grainger! Guide

Thanks for Reading

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The British Comedy Guide