BCG Daily Saturday 14th March 2015

Comic Relief breaks £1 billion barrier after 30 years

Comic Relief has officially raised over £1 billion for charity since the project started 30 years ago, with £78,082,988m already achieved for this year's fundraiser.

Comedy review: Rob Derring, Glasgow

It's perhaps fitting that on the opening night of the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Rob Deering should start and end his show, Musicface, with recreations of actual festival scenes.

Tim Key: I met one of my comedy heroes. Wish I hadn't

Never meet your heroes. That's what they say. That's what you're warned. Well, I did this week. I clattered right into one and the results were devastating.

Josie Long: the politics of getting over a broken heart

Stand-up Josie Long is in the middle of a four-month-long tour and she's absolutely knackered.

Where are they now? Cleo Rocos

Glamorous comedy actress Cleo Rocos became famous for her sketches in The Kenny Everett Television Show (1981-88). Since then, she's worked as a presenter, producer, singer, writer and businesswoman with her own range of tequila. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Cleo, 52, is single and lives with her mother in London's Canary Wharf.

Radio Times review

A comedy game show based on hypnosis: five members of the public take on straightforward tasks, made harder by the hurdles that hypnotist Keith Barry plants in their unconscious minds. If they can complete the tasks, they'll share a £25,000 prize. But they'll look very silly along the way.

Phillip Schofield as ringmaster tries to keep his air of priestly calm while all around him is chaos. Serving a meal to celebrity chefs, Carolyn believes she has lost a precious ring in the mash, while Kate shakes every bottle of champagne in celebration. During a music round, there's an altercation between Lennie, who thinks she's an X Factor judge, and Ross, who believes he is James Brown. And that old chestnut: in the blowing-up-balloons round, Ross believes he's naked.

Radio Times review

"The universe was trying to teach me a lesson, I guess," Madonna says, referring to that dramatic tumble during the Brit Awards that gave her whiplash and almost broke the internet. In an interview filmed the day after her fall, she denies it was a stunt designed to reflect the lyrics of her song. As well as singing tracks from her new album Rebel Heart, she touches on her attitude towards drugs and her latent desire to become a comedian.

Mark Gatiss, interview

The League of Gentlemen and Sherlock star will play Peter Mandelson in Channel 4's drama about the coalition. He tells Michael Hogan about taking on New Labour's éminence grise.

Mr Bean: 10 funniest sketches

As Rowan Atkinson's world-famous comedy creation returns for a one-off Red Nose Day special for Comic Relief, we look at his funniest moments.

Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, Series 3 review

Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe may just be the smoothest comedy programme on television. It is also one of the bleakest satirical programmes I have ever seen, but I am well and truly addicted.

Reviews: When did comedy get so sad?

Benji Wilson reviews the week in TV, including Nurse (Tuesday, BBC Two), In and Out of the Kitchen (Wednesday, BBC Four) and Bluestone 42 (Monday, BBC Three).

TV review: Comic Relief 2015

I think staging the evening at the Palladium rather than at the BBC helped. It had more of a feel of a live gig rather than a TV recording.

Dylan Moran, New Theatre Oxford, review

The quotable Moran even managed to trump Shakespeare in his latest set, says Dominic Cavendish.

Interview with Peter Bazely

Talking to stand-up Peter Bazely.

Interview with Andy Holloway

Talking to comedian Andy Holloway.

Interview with Faye Treacy

Talking to comedian Faye Treacy.

Interview with Luke Courtier

Talking with musical comedian Luke Courtier.

The Jonathan Ross Show: Madonna Special, review

At 56, the Queen of Pop still has presence and charisma - and possesses far more natural beauty than unflattering paparazzi photos suggest, says Isabel Mohan.

Phill Jupitus reveals he is a 60's love child

Phill Jupitus has confessed that he was a sixties love child and never met the man who fathered him.

You're Back In The Room review

Seriously, ITV, what the hell are you thinking? Stage hypnosis as prime-time entertainment? Not since Keith Chegwin's Naked Jungle has there been such a monumental error of judgement.

Viewers totally split over You're Back In The Room

Everyone either completely loved or absolutely hated You're Back In The Room.

Phillip Schofield brings hypnosis to primetime

This new Saturday night gameshow has a simple but ingenious premise: make its contestants perform basic tasks while in a waking trance, and laugh at the results.