BCG Daily Monday 10th November 2014

Lauren Pattison interview

It's been a whirlwind year for the Heaton student, who hopes to quit her job behind a bar and pursue a full-time career in comedy next summer.

Radio Times review

Pompous actor Steven Toast's nemesis, Ray Purchase, has ratted him out to The Tax People, so he owes £250,000 and he needs to find work, fast.

But suitable jobs are thin on the ground. Even John Midsomer Murders Nettles and has resorted to poaching to make ends meet. (Yes, that really is the John Nettles in a guest cameo).

In desperation, Toast's magnificently raddled agent, Jane Plough (Doon Mackichan) suggests that her client might like to direct a stage version of Calendar Girls.

Matt Berry as Toast is at his glorious best when he launches into tirades of scene-chewing pomposity. His outrageous treatment of the Calendar Girls women ("I intend to treat these people like cattle") will make your eyes water.

Mackenzie Crook was 'very nervous' about directing

The 43-year-old wrote, starred in and directed BBC Four's Detectorists and told Digital Spy that he would be keen to direct again.

Dapper Laughs tells woman: 'You're gagging for a rape'

Footage has emerged of Dapper Laughs telling an audience member she was 'gagging for a rape'.

Galton & Simpson - Our favourite Hancock: Part 1

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first broadcast of Hancock's Half Hour on BBC Radio, comedy scriptwriting legends Ray Galton and Alan Simpson are presenting a very special series of posts, in which they share their personal favourite episodes from their work on TV and Radio with Tony Hancock.

Noel Fielding interview: Luxury Comedy

An interview with Noel Fielding about his TV show.

Review - Hal Cruttenden: Tough Luvvie

Because of this ability to find a wickedly funny line about so many subjects, Cruttenden has very wide audience appeal - tonight's audience ranges from 14 to 70-plus.

Review - Andy Zaltzman: Satirist For Hire

You can't say Andy Zaltzman isn't good value. At twenty past ten he asks the guy on the sound desk if he can go into overtime, and at twenty to eleven he finally manages to bring the show to a close.

Comedians sign letter condemning "banter"

A collective of comedians including Daniel Sloss, Katherine Ryan, Janey Godley and Jenny Eclair has signed a statement condemning misogyny dressed up as banter. This article publishes the letter in full.

Russell Brand's Parklife reviewed by man who made meme

"I enjoyed the video and found it pretty funny, though I'm not totally surprised that a week of difficult brainstorming with his vast PR army, and a Hollywood-sized production budget resulted in a funny response to a mild 140-character observation."

How comedy awards start, get credible & where they lead

Comedy awards seem to be a growing industry.

Who is Dapper Laughs?

From Vine star to ITV2 - to, well, back to Vine maybe?

History, fools and Russell Brand

As Paul of Hellas put it, 6th century versions of Russell Brand were obsessed by the need 'to satisfy their own vanity and to fan their thirst for widespread popularity.' Attention-seekers one and a half thousand years ago would say anything to get attention. It seems not much has changed.

'Death to Dapper': behold the new intolerence

For an insight into the new intolerance, into the modern illiberal urge to harry and squash and ultimately kill any idea that dares to offend us, look no further than the fury over Dapper Laughs. Yes, I'm sorry that it's a perma-tanned geezer comedian with a foul mouth and not many good jokes that we have to defend from the pitchfork brigade these days, rather than, say, a Thomas Paine or a Galileo or someone else with something insightful and daring to tell us and who the authorities want to silence. But that's life.

Mackenzie Crook writes to metal detecting forum

I'm thrilled that metal detectorists themselves gave the show a chance, enjoyed it and could relate to the situations and characters. Even though the show had to appeal to a wide audience, it's been the views of the detectorists that have been most interesting to me.