British Comedy Guide Newsletter
Weekly Newsletter Monday 23rd February 2015
We've another fantastic selection of news and features for you this week - something for everyone. Unless you want the duck. Duck's off, sorry.
Latest Comedy News
News Picture Russell Brand to launch new podcast

Russell Brand has announced he is to launch a new podcast. The Russell Brand Podcast will be a 24-part series on the website audioBoom. Read
Feature Picture Tom Little wins Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2015

Up-and-coming stand-up comedian Tom Little has won the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2015 competition. Read
News Picture Radio 4 Extra to broadcast Rik Mayall snowman series

Radio 4 Extra is to mark Rik Mayall's birthday by broadcasting his comedy drama The Last Hurrah on the radio for the first time. Read
News Picture Chortle Awards 2015 nominees announced

The show Funz And Gamez leads the 2015 Chortle Award nominees list. James Acaster, Kim Noble, Luisa Omielan and Simon Amstell are also up for best show. Read
News Picture Mark Steel's In Town Series 6 locations announced

The sixth series of radio comedy Mark Steel's In Town will be recorded between March and May. Locations will include Alderney, Shrewsbury, Melton Mowbray and Paisley. Read
Also of interest...
Here are some pages on other websites that you might also be interested in...

- Channel 4 has mounted a robust defence of a comedy script set around the Irish famine – saying attempts to gag the writer are 'appalling': Chortle

- An interview with James Corden, as he prepares to launch his US chat show. He's been getting fit for US telly: The Mirror

- Rowan Atkinson is back on TV. He'll play the policeman character Jules Maigret in a new ITV drama: The Guardian

- Ben Elton is getting political again. He's donated £10,000 to Labour and says celebrities should pay their taxes like he does: The Mirror

- A big article by Frankie Boyle on the topic of offence and free speech. "Offence is often simply an attempt to deny reality": Blog

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Features
Feature Picture Dick Emery at 100: Quite a character

Dick Emery was born 100 years ago this month. Here's our tribute to the highly influential but now often-overlooked comedian: Read
Feature Picture I Live With Models interviews

The main cast members of new Comedy Central sitcom I Live With Models introduce their characters and reveal their real-life flatshare disaster stories. Read
Feature Picture Tiff Stevenson: 10 Cringey Things That Inevitably Happen When You Get Fit

Stand-up comedian Tiffany Stevenson talks us through some of the things that occur when you sort your health and fitness out. Think you can marry Bradley Cooper now? Sure. Read
Feature Picture Preview: Idil Sukan's This Comedian photo exhibition

Take a look at some of the iconic photos of comedians that feature in photographer Idil Sukan's London exhibition, This Comedian. View
Feature Picture Margaret Thatcher: Queen of Podcasts

Check out our funny new satirical comedy podcast. Hosted by our former Prime Minister, it features topical chat, music and sketches. Listen
Feature Picture North Wales set for 2015 comedy writers conference

Llandudno in North Wales is hosting The Craft of Comedy Writing Conference on the 24th and 25th April 2015. Read
Feature Picture Elis James interview

Crims star Elis James on buckets, 'Bob Geldoffing' and nearly blubbing, as he prepares to helm Centrepoint's next Laughing Stock gala. Read
TV Listings
Here is a guide to the new British comedy on TV this week...

Twirlywoos Twirlywoos
Monday - Friday, CBeebies, 9:25am

A new pre-school comedy series for CBeebies from the creators of Tellytubbies. It focuses on the adorable antics of four bird-like characters. See our guide for a video and interview with the co-creator. Guide
I Live With Models I Live With Models
Monday, Comedy Central, 9pm

Comedy Central UK's first studio audience sitcom. American in style, could this London-filmed series become a hit like big US shows? It follows average joe Tommy, who is signed up as a hand model and moved into an apartment with 3 of Miami's most beautiful people. It's the first episode tonight. Guide
Asylum Asylum
Monday, BBC Four, 9pm

The last episode in this short sitcom series. Dan Hern decides to raise his public profile and present his manifesto to the world by holding a press conference. Guide
Catastrophe Catastrophe
Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

A heavily pregnant Sharon picks Rob up at the airport and tells him she's invited an old friend from Ireland to be her maid of honour at their wedding. Last in the series, but another run has been ordered. Guide
House Of Fools House Of Fools
Monday, BBC Two, 10pm

Vic & Bob's madcap sitcom continues. After stealing some unused botox equipment, Vic decides to test it out on Julie and Bosh with striking results. Guide
Drunk History Drunk History
Monday, Comedy Central, 10:30pm

Slurred storytelling. Tiff Stevenson on the discovery of DNA, James Acaster talks Henry II and Thomas Beckett, and Romesh Ranganathan chats William the Conqueror. Guide
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
Tuesday, Dave, 10pm

Topics cropping up on Alan Davies's impromptu chat show this week: kitesurfing, car bombs and Sir Cliff! Jack Dee, Matthew Crosby, Shappi Khorsandi and Julian Clary are the guests. Guide
Uncle Uncle
Tuesday, BBC Three, 10pm

The charming sitcom continues. Andy is wrecked with flu. But when Errol alerts him to a lucrative song contest, it's off to the recording studio. Guide
Up The Women Up The Women
Wednesday, BBC Two, 10pm

The suffragette campaigning group can't agree on the story for their pantomime but news from the front line brings peace amongst the ranks. Last in the series. Guide
Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe
Thursday, BBC Two, 10pm

It's only Monday, so we don't yet know what this week's show will contain, but suffice to say that, come Thursday, Charlie Brooker will be ready to deliver his view on what's just occurred. Guide
The Keith Lemon Sketch Show The Keith Lemon Sketch Show
Thursday, ITV2, 10pm

The fast-paced sketch show that "affectionately spoofs the world of TV, Film and famous faces" continues. We find it a bit weird that it's a sketch show in which a character acts as other characters, but it's getting praise from viewers! Guide
Reality Bites Reality Bites
Thursday, ITV2, 10:30pm

Stephen Mulhern hosts another episode of the panel show focusing on the world of reality television. No news yet on who the guests are, but expect the usual mix of reality stars and up-and-coming comics. Guide
Room 101 Room 101
Friday, BBC One, 8:30pm

Frank Skinner is joined by TV presenter Adrian Chiles, Radio 1's Jameela Jamil and veteran entertainer Des O'Connor this week. Nominations include people who recline aircraft seats. Guide
Stella Stella
Friday, Sky1, 9pm

The Wales-based comedy drama continues. Katie's small birthday lunch spirals out of control, culminating in a shock revelation for Stella. Pressure mounts on Luke to find some extra cash, too. Guide
The Last Leg The Last Leg
Friday, Channel 4, 10pm

Sarah Millican joins Adam Hills and co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker for the last show of the current series. It's been a particularly entertaining run, so expect another series later in the year. Guide
The Graham Norton Show The Graham Norton Show
Friday, BBC One, 10:35pm

Another top line up for Norton this week. David Beckham, Will Smith, Hugh Jackman and Noel Gallagher are amongst the guests who will be mingling on the sofa. Guide
Comedy Central At The Comedy Store Comedy Central At The Comedy Store
Saturday, Comedy Central, 2am

This stand-up series is now at 2am!... is anyone watching? Tom Wrigglesworth talks about posh folk, Paul Thorne's eyebrows are taking over, Lucy Beaumont has a trick, and Jeff Innocent looks a bit dodgy. Guide
The Jonathan Ross Show The Jonathan Ross Show
Saturday, ITV, 9:40pm

Last weekend's show was more entertaining than normal, probably because there was lots of comedians on - clips in our guide if you missed it. This week: Sigourney Weaver, Martin Clunes, Thierry Henry, Tracey Emin and the incredibly humble Kanye West. Guide
Pompidou Pompidou
Sunday, BBC Two, 6:30pm

A brand new BBC comedy series from Matt Lucas. He plays an elderly oddball aristocrat who has fallen on hard times. What's notable about this show is that there's no identifiable dialogue - much like Mr Bean. The first episode is a lot of fun, and suitable for the whole family. Guide
Off Their Rockers Off Their Rockers
Sunday, ITV, 7:30pm

A new series of the popular show in which OAPs prank young people in a charming way. In this one Seb tries his hand selling cheap suits, Sonia gets help with a tricky crossword clue and Mo wreaks havoc on his mobility scooter. Guide
Let's Play Darts For Comic Relief Let's Play Darts For Comic Relief
Sunday, BBC Two, 9pm

Launching this weekend and then running nightly throughout the week, this comedy-based darts tournament features the likes of Lee Mack, Sean Lock, Tim Vine, Bob Mortimer and Roisin Conaty. Guide

For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule.
New Products
Babylon - The Complete Series Babylon - The Complete Series

PRE-ORDER. Comedy drama starring James Nesbitt. American PR consultant Liz Garvey (Brit Marling) is recruited to the Metropolitan police as the new Director of Communications, tasked with improving their broken image. Co-created and written by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show), along with their Fresh Meat collaborators, the series's cast is really not to be sniffed at. Details
Birds Of A Feather - The Complete ITV Series 2 Birds Of A Feather - The Complete ITV Series 2

OUT NOW. A programme that really needs little introduction, the recent 11th series - the second on ITV - recently completed broadcasting, to great audience reception. As of today it's available to own on DVD. A box set with Series 10 is also available, and the original nine BBC series are also out now. Details
Hot Enough For June Hot Enough For June

OUT NOW. British film legend Dirk Bogarde gives a whimsical performance as the unwitting replacement agent Number 008 in director Ralph Thomas's spy comedy from the early 1960s. Also starring Sylva Koscina, Robert Morley, Leo McKern and John Le Mesurier, when author Nicholas Whistler travels behind the Iron Curtain, everyone assumes him to be a spy! Details
Life's Too Short - The Special Life's Too Short - The Special

OUT NOW. That it took almost 2 years to make it to DVD, and unlike the series before it, with no accompanying Blu-ray release, probably tells you all you need to know about the real success and popularity of this series. A pity, because - focusing on Shaun, Les and Keith, the special was probably the best of the lot. Details
Someone At The Door Someone At The Door

OUT NOW. A 1936 comedy thriller. When Sally inherits a country house, her young brother Ronald, an aspiring journalist, hits on a sensational way to make his first big scoop: Sally will 'disappear', and he will be arrested for her murder! At his trial she will reappear, his acquittal will follow, and he will be able to supply his paper with the exclusive. Naturally, there are complications... Details
What We Did On Our Holiday What We Did On Our Holiday

OUT NOW. Rosamund Pike, David Tennant and Billy Connolly star in this family comedy written and directed by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin (writers of Outnumbered). As Doug, his wife Abi, and their three children prepare to travel up to the Scottish Highlands for Doug's father Gordie's birthday, they've a few secrets they'd rather keep to themselves! Blu-ray Details & DVD Details

For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy Videos
Video Picture Raised By Wolves - Teaser

A look ahead at the full series of the comedy re-imagining of the chaos of Caitlin and Caroline Moran's childhood. It looks great! Watch
Video Picture The News Quiz - Sandi Toksvig interview

The News Quiz is now back on Radio 4. Talking to BCG in this clip, Sandi Toksvig says she thinks it is a better show than Have I Got News For You. Watch
Video Picture Stephen Fry and Alan Davies introduce QI to BBC America

QI is now being shown in America. Here's a video in which Stephen Fry and Alan Davies introduce the concept of the show to US viewers: Watch
Video Picture 4 O'Clock Club - Behind the Scenes

Akai Osei (aka Nero) takes us behind-the-scenes on Series 4 of the CBBC comedy series set in a school. Watch
Video Picture Bluestone 42 - Series 3 Trailer

The squaddies of Bluestone 42 are back soon for more adventures. Series 3 is expected to start on the 9th of March. Watch
Guide Spotlight
Guide Spotlight Three Up, Two Down

We bet it's a while since you last thought of - never mind read about - this 1980s hit, isn't it? Not lucky enough to be one of the few titles repeated ad-infinitum by Gold or the like, it ran for 4 hugely popular series from 1985, and begins a repeat run this week on BBC Two. Starring Angela Thorne and Michael Elphick, it follows widow and widower in-laws forced to share a basement flat together after the birth of their grandson. To say they don't get on is an understatement! Guide
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