BCG Daily Monday 8th December 2014

Heroes' Grotto of Comedy

London geeks take note: Heroes' Grotto of Comedy is underway, resuscitating a grand old disused building using the defibrillators of comedy. Enter comedy impresario-maverick type Bob Slayer...

Funniest member of a comedy duo dies 1st says study

Research by the Australian Catholic University, published in the International Journal of Cardiology, found that the funniest comedians are most at risk of premature death, compared to their 'straight man' counterparts.

Radio Times review

Steven Toast is in turmoil - the greatest love of his life, Lorna Wynde, is appearing in The Graduate on the London stage. Toast has never recovered from their break-up, after which he had an unfortunate accident in Oddbins.

The best bits of the final, typically uneven episode are the masterly pastiches of dreadful 1980s American soaps. Toast (Matt Berry) and Wynde (Morgana Robinson) starred together in one such atrocity, but it put an end to her TV career as she went cross-eyed in close-ups.

Steve Pemberton, soon to be seen in Mapp and Lucia on BBC One, plays a very effete Francis Bacon and Josh Homme, lead singer of rock band Queens of the Stone Age, guests as Lorna's jealous husband.

The Play That Goes Wrong recoups £250,000

West End show The Play That Goes Wrong has recouped its £250,000 production costs in 12 weeks, its producers have claimed.

Reginald D. Hunter investigates blackface

Reginald D. Hunter is to investigate blackface and minstrel shows for a BBC Two documentary about the music of the American South.

Onion talking: Brian Pern

We were lucky enough to be put into contact with Brian through the good folk at the BBC, and he agreed to answer some questions via email. This is how it went down.

Review: Tommy Tiernan Live - The Lowry, Salford

Tommy Tiernan's scattershot approach does not always satisfy but this is a show that is definitely more hit than miss.

Radio Haha: dedicated comedy station opens in Haverhill

A new radio station is aiming to brighten your winter mornings. Radio Haha, which operates from Haverhill, is a new channel dedicated solely to comedy - and it's available to listen 24/7.

Ricky Gervais: why my stand-up tour is on hold for now

"If Spielberg calls, if I am playing Soho theatre on a Monday night as a warm up, I don't cancel it," says the comedian of his commitment to making sure he has time to do the show properly.

Toast of London, Channel 4, review

I hope we see more of Matt Berry and his co-writer Arthur Mathews's fantasy brand of comedy. Whether that should be with the unlovable but pitiable Toast, I'm not so sure.

Russell Brand could face Twitter ban

Russell Brand faces a possible Twitter ban after he tweeted the mobile phone number of a Daily Mail journalist who tried to contact him.

Rhys Thomas and Simon Day interview

Rhys Thomas and Simon Day on Brian Pern: A Life In Rock.

I was wrong about The Jonathan Ross Show

A month ago I wrote a short and not entirely complimentary obituary for The Jonathan Ross Show. Since then though? Jonathan Ross has posted three corking shows in a row for the first time since he moved to ITV in 2011 - and with Boris Johnson to come this Saturday he could even stretch that to four.