British Comedy Guide - Weekly Newsletter


Weekly Newsletter	Monday 18th May 2015

7 news stories, 5 features, 19 TV shows, 5 DVD recommendations and 9 things to watch online now. It can only be your weekly British Comedy Guide newsletter!

Latest Comedy News

	Catherine Tate's Nan to return for new TV specials Catherine Tate is to return as her foul-mouthed OAP character Nan. She is set to record two specials for BBC television next month. Read
	Cast announced for BBC comedy thriller Stag Tim Key, Reece Shearsmith, Rufus Jones and Sharon Rooney are amongst the comic actors joining Jim Howick as BBC Two's Stag begins filming. Read
	Aborted Morecambe & Wise sitcom by Roy Clarke uncovered Historian Graham McCann has revealed his discovery of an aborted Morecambe & Wise sitcom pilot, written by Still Open All Hours creator Roy Clarke. Read
	Tom Rosenthal and Naz Osmanoglu's Flat TV gets BBC Three series Tom Rosenthal and Naz Osmanoglu's 2014 Comedy Feeds sitcom Flat TV has been commissioned for a full series by BBC Three. Read
	Cuckoo returns for Series 3 BBC Three's Cuckoo is to return to screens for a third series. Greg Davies, Taylor Lautner and Helen Baxendale will all reprise their roles. Read
	BBC Comedy Feeds 2015 revealed The BBC has announced six new comedy pilots for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three - SunnyD, Radges, People Time, Fishbowl, Dead Air and Funz And Gamez. Read
	Frog and Bucket unveils plaque for those who 'died' on stage Manchester's Frog and Bucket comedy club has celebrated its 21st birthday by unveiling a blue plaque to commemorate all those that have 'died' on its stage. Read

Features

	Rob Gotobed and Tony Knight interview An interview with double act Rob Gotobed and Tony Knight, who are performing in London this weekend. They provide lots of punchline filled answers. Read
	John Moloney interview John Moloney introduces his new Radio 4 series and talks about how the comedy circuit has changed since he started out. Read
	The Kenneth Williams and Tony Hancock theatre show A preview of Seriously Funny, a comedy play at The Museum Of Comedy which stars Iain Barton and Wink Taylor as Tony Hancock and Kenneth Williams. Read
	Why We Need Ethnic Comedy Comedy performer Inder Manocha discusses how ethnic comedy relates to the mainstream, and explains why we need more ethnic comedy in this country. Read
	The Comedian's Comedian Podcast In the latest podcast interview from Stuart Goldsmith, stand-up Mark Watson opens up on various subjects, including what it's like to have a disagreement with Frankie Boyle and Stewart Lee. Listen

TV Listings

Here is a guide to the new British comedy on TV this week...

	Virtually Famous Monday, E4, 10pm Seann Walsh and Chris Stark face questions and challenges alongside guests Joey Essex and Hollyoaks actor James Sutton, plus comedians Katherine Ryan and Chris Ramsey. Guide
	Episodes Monday, BBC Two, 10pm Series 4 continues. Matt learns that his financial situation is even more dire than he thought. To make matters worse, his ex-wife's upcoming marriage - which would save him millions in alimony - is suddenly on shaky ground. Guide
	No Offence Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm Episode 3 of the drama that touches into comedy territory. The serial killer is showing no signs of slowing down, while local racial tensions are also running high when an Asian woman is killed. Guide
	Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment Tuesday, BBC Three, 10:30pm In this week's sweat-soaked descent into psychopathy-as-entertainment, Nick Helm focuses his ferocious wit on the topic of romance. Guide
	Newzoids Wednesday, ITV, 9pm The satirical puppet show returns for one final episode of the series, as David Cameron and friends settle down into a new term of office. Guide
	Car Share Wednesday & Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm It's John's Nan's birthday but he's forgotten to post her card. Will he be able to put things right on the journey en route to work? The final episode is on Friday. Guide
	The Delivery Man Wednesday, ITV, 9:30pm The drugs cupboard is raided and a forensic team is called in - one of whom is Matthew's very attractive ex, and is keen to get back together. Guide
	Murder In Successville Wednesday, BBC Three, 10pm The unique new comedy format continues. DCI Sleet is joined by Deborah Meaden to find out who killed Lady Gaga. That sentence will make more sense if you understand the premise of the show. Guide
	Russell Howard's Stand Up Central Wednesday, Comedy Central, 10pm Russell Howard reads from 50 Shades of Grey, and answers questions on university, ghosts, and milking a cow. His guests are Doc Brown and Paul McCaffery. Guide
	Celebrity Juice Thursday, ITV2, 10pm In the last episode in the series, the teams welcome guests including French DJ David Guetta and comedian Johnny Vegas. After this, Leigh Francis is off to film a second series of his sketch show. Guide
	Have I Got News For You Friday, BBC One, 9pm The topical comedy quiz show continues. Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are joined by guest host Frank Skinner and panellists Cariad Lloyd and Jon Ronson. Guide
	A League Of Their Own Friday, Sky1, 9pm James Corden and the gang are joined by Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, Last Leg presenter Alex Brooker and Absolutely Fabulous favourite Jennifer Saunders. Guide
	8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown Friday, Channel 4, 9pm Sean Lock and Rhod Gilbert are up against Jon Richardson and Sara Pascoe. Johnny Vegas is in Dictionary Corner, while Joey Essex 'assists' Rachel Riley with the numbers and letters. Guide
	Alan Carr: Chatty Man Friday, Channel 4, 10pm Ahead of the semi-finals, Britain's Got Talent judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon join Alan on the sofa. Nick Grimshaw chats about the Radio 1 Big Weekend in Norwich. The Vaccines provide the music. Guide
	The Graham Norton Show Friday, BBC One, 10:35pm Hugh Laurie is back in the UK, watch out for him on this show on Friday. Also George Clooney joins Graham to talk about new movie Tomorrowland. Plus wrestler turned movie star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson; actress Britt Robertson; and music and chat from Snoop Dogg. Guide
	Play To The Whistle Saturday, ITV, 9:20pm The regulars are joined by Bob Mortimer, former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, and Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson. Guide
	Celebrity Squares Sunday, ITV, 7:15pm Nina Wadia, Frank Skinner, Dane Baptiste, Aisling Bea, Tim Vine and Joe Wilkinson are the comedy names sitting in squares on this weekend's episode of the gameshow. Guide
	Sunday Night At The Palladium Sunday, ITV, 8pm Jason Manford presents a packed hour of entertainment, with stand-up comedy coming from the up-and-coming comic Joe Lycett. Guide
	Horrible Histories Bank Holiday Monday, CBBC, 5pm It's back! The multi-award winning, factually accurate and hugely popular kids' sketch show returns for a brand new series on Bank Holiday Monday, complete with an overhauled cast. This episode focuses on Alfred the Great and guest stars Plebs and Friday Night Dinner's Tom Rosenthal as the King. Don't miss it! Guide

For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule. Bank Holiday Monday also provides further new episodes of Virtually Famous and Episodes.

New Products

	Next To No Time PRE-ORDER. British cinema legend Kenneth More heads an outstanding comedy cast in this adaptation of a story by Oscar-nominated screenwriter and novelist Paul Gallico. David Webb is brilliant but shy; he devises an ingenious scheme to automate his employer's factory, but it requires far more capital than they can afford. Soon David finds himself sent to find investment - in America! Details
	Raised By Wolves - Series One OUT NOW. Loosely based on the Wolverhampton childhoods of Caitlin Moran and Caroline Moran, Raised By Wolves follows six socially-isolated, home-schooled siblings and their acerbic, highly capable mother Della Garry. The critically acclaimed series ran on Channel 4 a little earlier this year, and is widely expected to return. Catch up on the Garry family's hilarious antics in this set: Details
	The Magnet - Digitally Restored PRE-ORDER. Gentle Ealing comedy about childhood, guilt and half-truths starring a young James Fox as Johnny Brent, a mischievous boy who tricks a younger boy (Keith Robinson) into giving him his magnet in return for an 'invisible' clock. Johnny immediately starts to feel guilty about the swap, and a chain of misunderstandings lead the younger boy to think he is wanted for murder! Details
	Boj - Blast Off Buddies! OUT NOW. With the vocal talents of Jason Donovan and kids' TV legend Dave Benson Phillips, Boj is an entertaining comedy series for the under-6s from CBeebies. Boj is a bilby, a rare marsupial from the Australian Outback. They live in a burrow underneath Giggly Park, and everyone loves Boj's upside-downy, topsy-turvy ways. Details
	Happy Is The Bride OUT NOW. Ian Carmichael and Janette Scott star in this romantic comedy from director Roy Boulting, alongside comedy greats Terry-Thomas, Joyce Grenfell, Irene Handl and John Le Mesurier. David, a young man of unimpressive means becomes engaged to Janet, whose father is wealthy; the love birds soon find romance replaced by a regiment of interfering relatives!. Details

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

Comedy Videos

	Neighbourhood Watch Crime Update A new web series starring Arthur Bostrom ('Allo 'Allo!) and Diana Weston (from The Upper Hand). My Family star Robert Lindsay, with whom Weston has a daughter, is the narrator. Watch
	Watch this Jenny Eclair video to raise money NPower will donate £1 to Macmillan for every person who watches this video... so press play, then share it with your friends! Watch
	Danny Posthill on Britain's Got Talent Danny Posthill impressed the judges on Britain's Got Talent at the weekend. If you missed it, here is his set which involves impressions of people including John Bishop and Michael McIntrye. Watch
	Man Down - The cast chat about Series 2 See Greg Davies, Mike Wozniak and Roisin Conaty watch the new series of Man Down together, Gogglebox style. It starts on Channel 4 on the 1st June. Watch
	The Truth About Charity Collectors A sketch by The Jest, which reveals the truth about why chuggers hassle you on the street. Watch
	Southampton Football Club mockumentary Southampton FC have tried their hand at comedy. In this mockumentary set at the club, we meet 'colour psychologist' Dr Barry Gale (Tom Davis) as he starts work as Southampton's Player Integration Officer. Watch
	Hot Date First dates can gets a little messy - careful what you order at the restaurant! This slightly gruesome sketch is apparently based on a true story. Watch
	Frankie Boyle's Election Autopsy Frankie Boyle's online show looking back at the recent election is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Watch
	Big Asian Comedy Night Also now on BBC iPlayer is 40 minutes of highlights from the BBC Asian Network's live comedy gig. They've stand-up, sketches and more: Watch

Guide Spotlight

Hugh And I

Comedy legends. A phrase often bandied around these days, but one we try to only use advisedly - and few are more deserving of the label than Hugh Lloyd and Terry Scott. The pair became a highly popular TV pairing in the 1960s, starring in a number of series together including this, their own sitcom. Running for 7 series and 79 episodes from 1962, it was a huge popular hit for the BBC. Now largely forgotten, it's about to receive the spotlight once more as 20 of the 24 surviving episodes are to be released on DVD in September. We can't wait. Guide

Thanks for Reading

That's all from us this week, folks. Next Monday is another wonderful Bank Holiday, so we'll be back in your inbox with more on Tuesday 26th (although updates continue on the website every day). Until then, we hope you find plenty to laugh at.

The British Comedy Guide