BCG Daily Monday 9th March 2015

Miranda Hart joins charity Gallopathon for Comic Relief

Miranda Hart surprised some of her biggest fans by turning up to join them for a mile-long 'Gallopathon' - such fun!

Paul Whitehouse: "I've got 3 stents, 4 kids, 5 Baftas"

The Fast Show and Harry & Paul comedian refuses to reflect on his mortality as he brings his latest comedy Nurse to BBC Two.

Radio Times review

It's very hard to describe Bluestone 42's return without using phrases such as "back with a bang" or "an explosive episode" - but such are the pitfalls of setting a workplace comedy in an Afghanistan bomb disposal unit. Still, reviewing issues aside, this opening story is a roaring return for the BBC Three hit that sees our irresponsible unit pinned down in a firefight with one of their number injured.

Not that the battle will stop Captain Nick (Oliver Chris) rushing back to base to hit on the attractive female padre, or the moronic Rocket (Scott Hoatson) playing a fun new game that mainly involves punching his fellow soldiers in the face...

As ever, the series combines dramatic beats, impressive stunts and a genuine sense of danger with bucketloads of puerile and gallows humour, and a cast at the top of their comedy game. In short, you'd be a fool to miss it - it's a blast.

Paul Whitehouse interview

"In any field where there is professional involvement and tragedy, there is also humour," says Whitehouse. "Call it gallows humour or whatever, but there always is. So I don't think we're doing anything that can be construed as laughing at these people."

Review: Al Murray: One Man, One Guvnor

Nigel Farage's fellow candidate in the South Thanet election took to The Lowry stage, and had Steve Howarth roaring with laughter from start to finish.

26 gags a minute: Tommy Cooper impersonator sets record

A Tommy Cooper impersonator has scooped the Guinness World Record for the most jokes told in a minute.

Richard Herring tirelessly spends day fighting sexism

The comedian spent the day tweeting 'November 19' to people enquiring when International Men's Day was.

Seven questions with... Harry Hill

An FAQ with Harry Hill

Al Murray: One Man, One Guvnor - The Lowry, Salford

Besides being a superb stand-up comedian Murray could fit quite easily into Westminster with his quick thinking and ability to answer any question in an instant. With the bookies rating him at 66/1 this seems unlikely. Westminster's loss however will be the British public's comedy gain.

Review: Dave Spikey: Punchlines - The Lowry, Salford

Old-fashioned, constructed gag telling may well have not been in fashion for a long time but that doesn't stop Dave Spikey attempting a different way of telling them. But its hard to wonder, if the audience is there and wanting them, why he needs to bother.

Alternative Comedy Experience axed

The Alternative Comedy Experience has been cancelled says Stewart Lee.

Review: Gilded Balloon Comedy

A night of quality comedy such as this is rarer than white dog s****.

Dylan Moran: Off The Hook review

Moran still remains an insightful, original comic. It's a treat to be swept up in his hilariously vindictive battle with society through a stand-up routine that will likely have us all nodding in agreement.

Review: Josie Long, Cara Josephine

Josie Long hit up Manchester's Saturday afternoon crowd with discreet DJing at Gorilla, yelling out a pre-gig 'cup of Earl Grey and I'm ready for the matinee' holler and acting as the least aggressive hype man the North West has ever seen.

Bluestone 42 is back with a bang

Bluestone 42 looks to continue to deliver quality episodes which fans of the show like myself have become accustomed to.

The secrets of filming Bluestone 42

The writers of the hit Afghanistan-set series reveal the pitfalls of setting your workplace sitcom in a warzone...

Bluestone 42 is back with a bang

It's an exciting start that combines the series greatest strengths- gallows humour and idiotic antics (a highlight in tonight's episode being an inappropriately-timed punching game) interspersed with genuinely impressive (for a sitcom budget) stunts and, of course, plenty of big booms.

Bluestone 42, series three, episode one, review

This sitcom has plenty of potential but is not given the comedy it deserves.

Raised By Wolves preview

Having been a fan of Caitlin Moran's writing and indeed her Twitter feed, I'm delighted she's been given the opportunity to, along with her sister, create a sitcom that feels raw, real and rude.

Margaret Thatcher wants to save Soho's gay institutions

She's back, has had a change of heart on Section 28 and is now a cabaret sensation in 'Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho'. She's even campaigning to save Soho's gay landmarks. Here, Maggie reveals the ones to catch while you can.

Sam Bain on bringing Babylon to the screen

With the series available on DVD and Blu-ray from today, co-creator Sam Bain spoke to Digital Spy about the challenges of bringing Babylon to the screen.