BCG Daily Tuesday 27th August 2013

Radio Times review

Ben Miller perfectly describes his dolorous comedy hero, the incomparable Tony Hancock, as "carrying a sheep-like despondency and a cuddly intellectual misery". Miller first fell under Hancock's spell as a child, when his dad told him he had to watch The Blood Donor, arguably Hancock's finest half-hour. "I'd never seen anything so funny in my life."

In this sweet tribute Miller potters through Hancock's life, visiting the hotel in Bournemouth where he was brought up and chatting to his biographers. Best of all, he visits Hancock's writers, the brilliant Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, who had a sometimes fractious relationship with a difficult man. And Miller has some fun with papers from the BBC archives that describe the volatile Hancock as "a moody perfectionist with a great interest in money and no sense of loyalty to the Corporation". Ouch.

Martin Clunes' weight loss causes wardrobe worries

Martin Clunes lost a stone in weight after catching a virus and had to have his wardrobe rejigged for the new series of Doc Martin.

Review: Edinburgh golf day

Last Thursday comedy agent Richard Bucknall organised the annual VisitScotland Mackenzie Taylor Industry v Comedians golf tournament at Duddingston Golf Club.

Festival stories: Christian O'Connell (Link expired)

Radio DJ and stand-up Christian O'Connell talks about his youthful ambitions at his first ever Edinburgh Festival and his subsequent return 18 years later.

Festival stories: John Robins (Link expired)

John Robins talks about a prank he played on fellow comedian and previous flatmate Chris Martin.

Behind the scenes at Radio Times QI photo shoot

The comedy duo lark around behind the scenes of their Radio Times photo shoot.

Jack Whitehall interview

Jack Whitehall discusses the second series of Bad Education.

QI: some quite interesting facts about birthdays

A quietly intriguing column from the brains behind QI, the BBC quiz show. This week: QI's birthday party.

Amnesty Secret Comedy Podcast episode 12

Janeane Garofalo tells host Mark Dolan about seeing the light and Tig Notaro reveals what kept her laughing through cancer. Plus sketch comedy from Foil, Arms and Hogg on the joys of Ryanair, stand-up from Matt Okine on how to make good toast and Shaun Keaveny on being addicted to Breaking Bad, a show about addiction.

Tamsin Greig: I was 'very serious' before comedy career

Tamsin Grieg feels that her comedy career has overshadowed her dramatic prowess.

Would Malcolm Hardee have HATED the awards show?

On Facebook, just a few hours after the show finished, Bob Walsh posted: 'The Awards Show was a rally for the middle classes
The Malcolm Hardee Awards Show was a middle class rally?'

Greg Davies: 'I came so close to madness'

Davies turned to comedy after an 'epiphany' that he was reluctant to talk about, save to mention that it came after 'a really strange thing [that] happened in a floatation tank. It was bought for me by an Australian woman.'

Man Down review

At heart, it's a brilliant example of a mainstream sitcom (just with a bit too much swearing for primetime) but with a twist and heart of its own. Channel 4 - and Greg Davies - deserve to have a monster hit on their hands.

Giving Alfie our worst characteristics

With Bad Education, Jack and I give our worst characteristics to Alfie in a competitive way.

Lee Ridley cancels shows due to hospital stay

Voiceless comic cancels shows after contracting pneumonia.

Mark Thomas leads LGBT protest

With 100 acts of dissent to commit in a year, Mark Thomas is certainly adept at multi-tasking.

Review - My Hero: Ben Miller on Tony Hancock

Homage to a genius of yesteryear works despite flimsy telly tropes.

Freddie Starr re-bailed by Operation Yewtree police

Entertainer Freddie Starr has been re-bailed until October by officers investigating alleged sexual offences.

Keith Lemon interview

We're used to him causing mayhem on Celebrity Juice, but now Keith Lemon has taken the classic entertainment show, Through The Keyhole, and put his own spin on it...

Martin Clunes interview

It's taken a while, but loyal fans finally get the happy ending they've longed for as Portwenn's grumpy medic makes an honest woman of fiancée Louisa in the new series of Doc Martin. But don't expect the day to go smoothly... TV Choice caught up with screen groom, Martin Clunes...