British Comedy Guide Newsletter
Weekly Newsletter Monday 28th September 2015
As we head into October, there's plenty of news to share. Read on...
Latest Comedy News
News Picture Comedy snooker film The Rack Pack coming to iPlayer

BBC iPlayer has announced a comedy film about the 1970s-80s snooker rivalry between Alex "Hurricane" Higgins and Steve "Interesting" Davis, entitled The Rack Pack. Read
News Picture Taskmaster to return for two new series

Greg Davies and Alex Horne will return to Dave for second and third series of hit comedy format Taskmaster. Read
News Picture Jon Richardson and Matt Forde to present talkSPORT football show

Jon Richardson and Matt Forde are to present The Warm Up, a football-based radio show on talkSPORT. Read
News Picture Matt Lucas to star in BBC's A Midsummer Night's Dream

Matt Lucas will take on the role of Bottom in a new BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. Other comedy actors involved include Richard Wilson. Read
Feature Picture Funny Women Awards 2015 winners announced

The winners of the Funny Women Awards 2015 have been announced, with Desiree Leah Burch, Rachel Marwood and Christine Entwisle taking home the top prizes. Read
News Picture Filming starts on new Ben Miller sitcom I Want My Wife Back

Production is under way on I Want My Wife Back, a new sitcom from the team behind The Worst Week Of My Life, with Ben Miller in the lead role. Read
News Picture BBC One unveils Landmark Sitcom Season

BBC One boss Charlotte Moore has announced the channel will run a 'Landmark Sitcom Season' in Summer 2016. Read
News Picture BBC One to celebrate Peter Kay in new documentary

BBC One is to celebrate the comedy career of Peter Kay in a new documentary titled Peter Kay - Twenty Years Of Funny. Read
News Picture BBC One to broadcast a live episode of Mrs Brown's Boys

BBC One has announced it will broadcast an episode of Mrs Brown's Boys live in 2016 to launch its Landmark Sitcom Season. Read
News Picture Black Mirror to return on Netflix

US on-demand service Netflix has ordered 12 new episodes of Charlie Brooker's dark comedy drama Black Mirror. Read
Features
Feature Picture Win a copy of Pompidou on DVD

Pompidou, the charming visual comedy series starring Matt Lucas, is coming out on DVD. We have three copies to give away. Enter
Feature Picture The Kennedys interviews

Katherine Parkinson, Dan Skinner, Harry Peacock and Emma Pierson - the stars of new sitcom The Kennedys - talk about the series and their characters. Read
Feature Picture Sean Hughes interview

The envelope-pushing Irishman explains his new show, heckler-ejecting, addiction, his stint in family-friendly theatre and awkward talks with Talk Talk. Read
Feature Picture You, Me And The Apocalypse interviews

The cast of You, Me And The Apocalypse talk about their involvement in Sky's big budget new comedy drama series. Read
Feature Picture Danny Wallace: Ten Years of Yes Man

Marking 10 years since Yes Man was published, we speak to Danny Wallace about the book's effect on his life. Read
Feature Picture Jo Joyner interview

Jo Joyner talks to BCG about returning to comedy to play the role of the vicar in new Gold sitcom Marley's Ghosts. Read
Feature Picture Podcasts

This week our podcast area contains new episodes starring Rufus & Howard (ManBuyCow), Al Murray (RHLSTP), Matt Lucas (ComComPod), The Sitcom Geeks, and more. Listen
TV Listings
Here is a guide to the new British comedy on TV this week...

Danger Mouse Danger Mouse
Monday - Friday, CBBC, 6pm

A new version of the classic cartoon series, with Alexander Armstrong as the voice of Danger Mouse and Kevin Eldon as Penfold. See our guide for videos, interviews and more. Guide
Duck Quacks Don't Echo Duck Quacks Don't Echo
Monday, Sky1, 8pm

Chef Heston Blumenthal and comedians Bob Mortimer and Aisling Bea are the latest guests to put their trivia to the test on Lee Mack's riotous panel show. Guide
Doc Martin Doc Martin
Monday, ITV, 9pm

Louisa and Martin have their first therapy session together - though neither of them was expecting that they would be given homework. Meanwhile, Peter Cronk gets some work experience at the surgery. Guide
Bad Robots Bad Robots
Tuesday, E4, 10pm

More evil electronics. This week the photo booth offers the most ridiculous added extras, such as a passport photo on an abandoned totem pole. Guide
Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish
Tuesday, Dave, 10pm

This week on Dave Gorman's show an annoying printer gets the sledge-hammer treatment, Christine Hamilton receives an unexpected gift, and some bees get to travel first class. Sort of... Guide
Fried Fried
Tuesday, BBC Three, 10:30pm

For the final episode of the fast food sitcom, we flash back to before Mary was manager of Seriously Fried Chicken. Guide
You, Me And The Apocalypse You, Me And The Apocalypse
Wednesday, Sky1, 9pm

A new comedy thriller depicting the end of the world from the point-of-view of a group of characters from Slough, New Mexico and the Vatican. The first episode is great and the series looks set to be a hit - make sure you don't miss out. Guide
Marley's Ghosts Marley's Ghosts
Wednesday, Gold, 10pm

A new high concept single camera sitcom for Gold about a woman (played by Sarah Alexander) who can talk to the dead. Guide
The Almost Impossible Game Show The Almost Impossible Game Show
Thursday, ITV2, 9pm

A new anarchic comedy game show in which 10 contestants per episode get 50 chances to beat each of a series of simple but difficult challenges. Guide
Cradle To Grave Cradle To Grave
Thursday, BBC Two, 9pm

It's a jump in the dark for both Danny and Spud this week as the comedy based on Danny Baker's hit book continues. Spud has to think about life after the docks. Guide
Boy Meets Girl Boy Meets Girl
Thursday, BBC Two, 9:30pm

Geoff has promised to give Leo a try-out as a salesman at his car showroom. Meanwhile Tony is ill but Pam is unsympathetic and leaves him in James's care. Guide
Mock The Week Mock The Week
Thursday, BBC Two, 10pm

James Acaster, Rob Beckett, Sara Pascoe and Josh Widdicombe are the guests booked to take part in the topical comedy show this week. Guide
Celebrity Juice Celebrity Juice
Thursday, ITV2, 10pm

Magician Ben Hanlin and popstar Foxes are amongst the guests who will be joining Keith, Holly and Gino this week. Guide
Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant
Friday, Sky1, 9pm

Lisa attempts to outdo Jenna when they both throw birthday parties for their daughters on the same day. Meanwhile Greg tries to adjust to life with new flatmate Bradley. Guide
Have I Got News For You Have I Got News For You
Friday, BBC One, 9pm

With today marking HIGNFY's 25th birthday, Friday sees the start of the 50th series of the topical comedy show (yes, 50th). Jeremy Clarkson will be in the host's chair; his first high profile BBC appearance since the Top Gear troubles. Guide
The Kennedys The Kennedys
Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm

A new comedy series following the Kennedy family, living on a Stevenage housing estate in the 1970s. The show has been written by Emma Kennedy, based on her hit book. We've seen a preview of the series and loved it. Guide
Alan Carr: Chatty Man Alan Carr: Chatty Man
Friday, Channel 4, 10pm

Alan is joined by Sarah Millican who talks about her new Outsider stand-up tour, while the music might come from Morrissey. We say 'maybe', as last time he was set to appear, the grumpy minstrel dropped out at the last minute. Guide
The Graham Norton Show The Graham Norton Show
Friday, BBC One, 10:35pm

Graham Norton has a lot of actors to chat to this Friday. Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hiddleston are set to be his guests this week. Guide
Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms
Saturday, Channel 4, 8pm

Tamsin Greig narrates this new documentary series (the concluding part is next week) based on a poll conducted by Channel 4 - the title's fairly self-explanatory. They've collected up some good guests to interview, too. Guide
Through The Keyhole Through The Keyhole
Saturday, ITV, 10:15pm

Reality TV star Mark Wright, writer and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter and presenter Vernon Kay are the three guests tasked with working out whose houses Keith is in. Guide

For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule.
New Products
Boy Meets Girl Boy Meets Girl

PRE-ORDER. First series of the brand new BBC comedy about a transgender woman in a relationship with a younger man. If you've been enjoying the family-centric, northern-set romcom, this is your chance to catch up with Judy, Leo, and their respective families. Reception on our forums has been mixed, but we'd expect a second series to be commissioned. See our guide for interviews. Details & Competition
Pompidou Pompidou

PRE-ORDER. Matt Lucas is Pompidou in this superb visual comedy series, a penniless aristocrat living in a broken-down caravan on his now-crumbling estate. Kept company by his long-serving and loyal butler Hove (Alex Macqueen) and his devoted Afghan Hound Marion, when there's no food and no money, or no heat and no money, what's a man to do? Enter our competition to win a copy. Details
Friday Download: The Movie - Up All Night! Friday Download: The Movie - Up All Night!

PRE-ORDER. Long running hit CBBC kids show Friday Download gets the big screen treatment in action-packed comedy adventure Friday Download The Movie (Up All Night). This fun-filled spooky escapade features teen sensations The Vamps and Britain's Got Talent favourites Bars and Melody (us neither). David Mitchell guest stars as a hapless policeman in this comic caper. Details
Adam Hills - The Stand-Up Collection Adam Hills - The Stand-Up Collection

OUT NOW. Double bill of live performances by Australian comedian Adam Hills. Inflatable (2009) captures Adam live on stage at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre as part of his Australian tour. Happyism (2013) sees him at the London Hammersmith Apollo where he recounts his run-in with the Dalai Lama. Details
Last Of The Summer Wine - Series 27 & 28 Last Of The Summer Wine - Series 27 & 28

PRE-ORDER. We return to the beautiful Yorkshire village of Holmfirth where our famous trio of troublemakers has officially become a quartet: Clegg, Truly, Alvin, and Billy are back for more mischief. Follow the boys as they meet a stranger planning to float to Ilkley on an inflatable swan. These two series - actually 26 & 27 - were broadcast in 2005 and 2006. Details

For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy Videos
Video Picture SuperBob Trailer

A new trailer for the film starring Brett Goldstein and Catherine Tate. It's about a superhero... a British one (e.g. he is allowed every Tuesday off). Watch
Video Picture Jake Yapp does Gogglebox

Jake Yapp takes a look at Gogglebox in this episode of his online web series in which he boils down a popular TV format into just a couple of minutes. Watch
Video Picture Chewing Gum trailer

The trailer for the new E4 series that stars Michaela Coel as Tracey, a 24-year-old who is finding out more about the world. Early reviews have pointed out this is set to be a 'very rude' show. Watch
Video Picture Have I Got News For You - Series 50 Trailer

Ahead of the 50th series, this trailer reveals that Ian Hislop and Paul Merton have been getting into Strictly Come Dancing. Watch
Video Picture The Job Lot - Series 3 trailer

Team work makes the dream work, as Series 3 of The Job Lot lands on TV this October. Here's the main trailer, and there's more preview clips in our guide too. Watch
Guide Spotlight
Guide Spotlight Gnomeo & Juliet

This family caper is currently enjoying a few repeats on Comedy Central: it updates Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet to the backing of the music of Elton John - plus some original compositions from the man himself. The warring gnomes of neighbouring gardens on Verona Drive have their feud tested to the limits when their very existence is put into question, and Gnomeo and Juliet - children of the respective blue and red gardens' leaders - meet by chance and fall in love. The cast is top-notch, and a sequel based on Sherlock Holmes is currently in the works. Guide
Thanks for Reading
A reminder that we can't fit everything in our newsletter, so if you want more do visit our website. For example, here's an interesting article about Galton and Simpson, one of the many things we've linked to from our press clippings section.

The British Comedy Guide

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