Weekly Newsletter	Monday 9th November 2015

We start this week's packed newsletter with some good news about British comedy...

Latest Comedy News

British comedy leads Rose d'Or 2015 nominations Nominees for the 2015 Rose d'Or Awards have been revealed, with British comedies leading in multiple categories. Read James Acaster launches Kickstarter campaign for online series Stand-up comedian James Acaster has launched a Kickstarter campaign in an attempt to fund an online comedy documentary series in which he will travel to Germany. Read Humble Quest For Universal Genius gets TV trial Live comedy format The Humble Quest For Universal Genius is to be trialled for television, with hosts Matthew Crosby and Sara Pascoe. Read BBC Store launches with packed comedy catalogue The BBC has launched a new BBC Store service, offering digital downloads of BBC TV programmes to own and keep forever. Read Comedy Central developing Wasteman sitcom Comedy Central is developing Wasteman, a sitcom pilot about a man who becomes a viral hit after his girlfriend dumps him via Facebook. Read YouTube impressionist Scheiffer Bates gets E4 pilot Scheiffer Bates, an impressionist who has built up a following on YouTube, has been given a pilot by E4. Read The Last Leg team go on an Australian road trip Channel 4 has filmed The Last Leg Goes Down Under, a road trip around Australia featuring Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker. Read Kayvan Novak to star in 'Britain Today, Tonight' Channel 4 has ordered 'Britain Today, Tonight', a spoof news bulletin show that will star Kayvan Novak. Read Channel 4 orders Men About The House script Channel 4 has commissioned Arthur Mathews to adapt his Radio 4 pilot Men About The House into a TV sitcom. Read BBC Three to record stand-up specials BBC Three is to film a series of stand-up specials under the title Live From The BBC. Read Forgotten Hancock script rediscovered A long-forgotten script for a sitcom that would have starred Tony Hancock has been rediscovered, predating Hancock's Half Hour by two years. Read Writer Dick Sharples dies aged 88 Writer Dick Sharples, best known for ITV funeral business sitcom In Loving Memory, has died. Read The Cloud gets full series on Channel 4 Channel 4 has ordered a full series of new sitcom The Cloud, by Adam Buxton and Graham Linehan. Read

Features

Josh Widdicombe interview Josh Widdicombe talks about his new BBC Three sitcom. Just how like his sitcom character is he, and what does he think about other comedians impersonating him? Read Peep Show interviews David Mitchell, Robert Webb and Olivia Colman talk about the final series of Peep Show, and creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong explain why the sitcom is ending now. Read Sarah Franken interview Sarah Franken talks about performing her stand-up show at the Museum Of Comedy this month, why she prefers living in the UK compared to America, and discusses being transgender. Read Our BBC Store wish list As BBC Store launches, we highlight some archive goodies we'd like to see added to its comedy catalogue. Read Marti Caine tribute Georgy Jamieson pays tribute to the ground-breaking female comic Marti Caine, who died 20 years ago last week, aged just 50. Read Podcasts Head to our podcasts area to hear the latest ManBuyCow podcast (there's an intruder in the house!), RHLSTP with guest Janey Godley, a new episode of Sitcom Geeks, and more. Listen

TV Listings

Here is a guide to the new British comedy on TV this week... Trollied Monday, Sky1, 9pm Gavin assembles a team of spies to infiltrate the competition and discover what rival supermarket Lauda has to offer in this week's episode. Guide After Hours Monday, Sky1, 9:30pm Sky's new sitcom continues. Willow is devastated when he discovers his best pal Chris has been burgled and his ex, Jasmine, has started dating a bass player. Guide Legends Of Stand-Up And Bernard Righton Monday, Gold, 10pm The comic greats featured on the show this week include Ronnie Corbett, Les Dawson, Max Boyce, Morecambe & Wise, Jackie Mason, Alexei Sayle and Frank Carson. Guide Live At The Apollo Monday, BBC Two, 10pm In the first episode of a new series of the stand-up show (now on BBC Two), Alan Carr hosts Francesca Martinez and rising comedy star Nish Kumar. Guide Scot Squad Monday, BBC One Scotland, 10:35pm Bringing law to the lawless, this week's episode deals with a pioneering PR initiative. See the press clippings section of our guide to read how the real life police have nabbed a prop from the show. Guide The Job Lot Tuesday, ITV2, 10pm Trish is fresh back from a Spanish holiday to celebrate the job centre's twenty-fifth anniversary and she brings back more than a stick of rock. Meanwhile Natalie seeks out the original manageress. Guide Chewing Gum Tuesday, E4, 10pm Tracey's been kicked out by her Mum, and moves in with best friend Candice and her Nan Esther. Connor's got a new job and hopes that Tracey will move in with him. Guide Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled Tuesday, Dave, 10pm Alan is joined by Matt Lucas, John Thomson, Sarah Kendall and Stuart Goldsmith to discuss such varied subjects as upsetting rock legends, and an exploding spider's nest. Guide Catastrophe Tuesday, Channel 4, 10pm Sharon decides that she and Rob should inject some passion into their life. When her advances don't quite go to plan, Rob suggests a weekend break in Paris. Guide Together Tuesday, BBC Three, 10:30pm Tom's Dad has discovered that Ellen's got a criminal record, just as she's having her tag removed. Ellen's discovered that she's got a grandfather, just as she's returning to Leeds. Guide Josh Wednesday, BBC Three, 12am Following on from the 2014 pilot episode, here's a full series of this sitcom starring and co-written by Josh Widdicombe. Look out for Jack Dee as his annoying landlord. Guide You, Me And The Apocalypse Wednesday, Sky1, 9pm 14 days until Earth will no longer be around. Scotty is forced to choose between sister Rhonda and Operation Saviour when he spots a crucial error in the plan to save the world. Guide Peep Show Wednesday, Channel 4, 10pm The start of the much-anticipated 9th series of the sitcom... which will also be the show's last series. Jez has some rather constrictive new living quarters, and Mark has a new flatmate. Guide Tim Vine: The Joke-Amotive Wednesday, Dave, 11pm A TV broadcast of Tim Vine's 2011 stand-up DVD. Given how family-friendly the material is, it's odd that it's being broadcast so late at night. It's worth recording though. Guide Bring The Noise Thursday, Sky1, 9pm Ricky Wilson, Nicole Scherzinger, Tinie Tempah, Katherine Ryan and Joel Dommett are back for another episode of the music-focused comedy show. Guide Drifters Thursday, E4, 9pm Meg finds herself in a relationship with a guy she nicknames 'Hot and Cold'. Bunny thinks she may have found a way in to the glamorous world of the theatre and Laura is furious when Gary takes a job in Glasgow. Guide Celebrity Juice Thursday, ITV2, 10pm Keith Lemon presents another episode of outrageous antics. No news yet on who the guests will be, but expect high tensions in the final episode of the series: will Gino have his head shaved? Guide Russell Howard's Good News Thursday, BBC Two, 10pm Russell once again looks over the quirkiest headlines and most bizarre news stories from the past week. Did you know that if you live outside of the UK you can watch the full episodes on YouTube for free? Guide Detectorists Thursday, BBC Four, 10pm Russell and Hugh embark on their mission to recover the mayor's chain of office from the car park in Barnfather Woods, while Sophie proves she's still very bad at spying. Guide Alan Carr: Chatty Man Friday, Channel 4, 10pm In terms of new comedy broadcasts, Alan Carr gets Friday night to himself this week as Children In Need takes over the BBC. His guests will include Dawn French. Guide The Jonathan Ross Show Saturday, ITV, 9:45pm Jonathan Ross has a bit of a scoop on Saturday... he has got football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to agree to make his first ever chat show appearance. David Tennant and Agyness Deyn also appear. Guide For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule.

New Products

Dad's Army - The Movie PRE-ORDER. The original 1971 film starring the cast of the hit BBC television sitcom. Having created disaster whilst on manoeuvres, the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard face real peril when the crew of a crashed German plane take the Mayor and Vicar hostage in the town hall. Can they save the day? Details Alan Carr - Yap, Yap, Yap! PRE-ORDER. No stranger to yap, Alan Carr yaps his way around the UK & Ireland with his brand new stand-up show, Yap, Yap, Yap!. The BAFTA and British Comedy Award winning comedian, author and chat show supremo returns to his stand-up roots with his unique take on life. Blu-ray Details & DVD Details Isn't Life Wonderful OUT NOW. Donald Wolfit heads a strong cast as an endearing Edwardian idler whose family's attempts to keep him respectably occupied unwittingly sets loose a passion for pedal power! Based on Brock Williams's novel Uncle Willie's Bicycle Shop. Details Bluestone 42 - Series 3 PRE-ORDER. All six episodes from the third series of the BBC comedy drama about the members of a British Army bomb disposal unit working in Afghanistan. Broadcast early this year, the third (and, at least for now, final) series sees Captain Ellen Best installed as the team's new ATO when Nick is invalided back to Blighty. Details Roy Chubby Brown Hangs Up The Helmet - Live PRE-ORDER. After more than 40 years of belly-bursting gags and outrageously offensive laughs, the world's bluest stand-up is finally hanging up his helmet. Join Chubbs for his last ever live DVD, filmed in front of a live audience in August 2015. He's recently spoken about why he'll carry on touring but not record any more shows for DVD. Details For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.

Comedy Videos

Simon's Cat - Pug Life We love this charming online animated comedy series. In this latest episode we meet a new character as the famous feline receives help from an unexpected visitor! Watch Dog Judo starring Kathy Burke Kathy Burke has lent her voice to the latest episode of online comedy Dog Judo. She guest stars as Rexley's beautiful sister... who likes a bit of innuendo. Watch Liam Williams interview 'Hench-souled Pilsner socialist' stand-up Liam Williams talks to Mark Watson ahead of a run of his live show. Watch Dom and Don Introducing Britain's next hit double-act: Dom N Don. A sketch from the group zazU. Watch

Guide Spotlight

The Young Ones 33. Really. It's 33 years today since The Young Ones burst onto television screens for the first time, cementing the stardom of Mayall, Edmondson & Planer in particular, almost overnight. Running for just two series of 6 episodes apiece, it's still regarded by many as one of the funniest sitcoms of all time - and certainly one of the most anarchic. See our guide for plenty of information about the show: Guide

Thanks for Reading

We'll have exciting news about the future of BCG to reveal at the end of the month, so watch this space! In the meantime, if you own or work in a business that wants to get a message out to 500,000+ people in the UK, please do get in touch as we have some great festive advertising deals. The British Comedy Guide

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