BCG Daily Wednesday 28th October 2015
Press clippings
Catastrophe, series 2, Channel 4 review
It's dirty, yes, but Catastrophe is written, performed and edited with a clarity that is next to cleanliness.
Jasper Rees, The Arts Desk, 28th October 2015Catastrophe: tender, believable and filthily funny
Channel 4's deliciously tart romcom is as truthful a portrayal of postnatal depression and dementia as you're likely to see - and certainly the funniest.
Esther Addley, The Guardian, 28th October 2015Should babies and live comedy mix?
I was amused to hear that Doug Stanhope was cheesed off about a baby being in his audience at one of his European gigs recently. According to reports Stanhope wanted the infant ejected, but the parents managed to move to more discreet balcony seats and enjoy the rest of Stanhope's show. We don't know what their baby thought of it.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 28th October 2015Interview: Ardal O'Hanlon
TV series often have a hard time getting off the ground, so what makes his new comedy After Hours different? Ardal O'Hanlon gives Keeley Bolger a hint at what's lying in store.
Keeley Bolger, Belfast Telegraph, 28th October 2015Bilal Zafar tackles anti-Muslim hate one joke at a time
Bilal Zafar, a British Pakistani who tweets @zafarcakes - reference to British 'jaffacakes' - landed in an online controversy in September last year when #boycottmuslimbusinesses was trending after his twitter handle was mistaken for a Muslim cake shop. Since that episode, which resulted in some islamophobic comments and even lead to an online petition against his fictional cake shop, Zafar has been successfully entertaining audiences mocking the islamophobic trolls.
The Express Tribune, 28th October 2015Fremantle raises questions over Bring The Noise
Fremantle Media UK has written to Sky and the indie behind Bring The Noise seeking assurances that the music panel show is unrelated to a format it previously pitched to the broadcaster.
Jake Kanter, Broadcast, 28th October 2015Adil Ray interview
Ahead of the fourth series of Citizen Khan on BBC One, I caught up with writer, creator and Mr Khan himself, Adil Ray for a chat about the new series.
Elliot Gonzalez, I Talk Telly, 28th October 2015Detectorists trailer undermines its subtle brilliance
Mackenzie Crook's BBC Four sitcom Detectorists wasn't just the finest British comedy series of 2014, it was one of the finest British programmes.
GQ, 28th October 2015Profile: Gervais is back - who will he offend now?
Viewers have been warned to "fasten their seatbelts" after it was announced that Ricky Gervais is to host Hollywood's Golden Globe awards next year.
The National (Scotland), 28th October 2015Monty Python's Terry Jones to direct Marty Feldman play
Monty Python's Terry Jones will direct the world premiere of Jeepers Creepers, a play about comedy star Marty Feldman and his ambitious wife, Lauretta.
BBC News, 28th October 2015Adil Ray plans to take Citizen Khan to the big screen
A film on the theme 'Citizen Khan Goes to America' would allow Ray to explore terrorism and airport security.
Ian Burrell, The Independent, 28th October 2015Gina Yashere loves American culture not the health care
While she's spent quite a bit of time performing in New York and Los Angeles, British ex-pat Gina Yashere will be making her first visit to Minnesota this week. Well, sort of. "I did a college there a couple of years ago," she says. "But it was literally in and out. So, technically no, but yes."
P. F. Wilson, The City Pages, 28th October 2015Quiz: Comedy London
A short quiz from Londonist loosely focused on comedy and the capital.
Will Noble, Londonist, 28th October 2015Interview: Bridget Christie
Londonist interviews Bridget Christie ahead of her London run of A Book For Her at the Leicester Square Theatre.
Ben Venables, Londonist, 28th October 2015Quite interesting Sandi, quite interesting indeed
Series M of QI opens with A Medley of Maladies. Not much has changed apart from Stephen Fry's hair thickening up well. And yet, changes are on the 21st century-horizon for the show. Fry is stepping down after thirteen years of hosting, and Sandi Toksvig is taking control of the quizzical helm.
Frances Roe, The Student Newspaper, 28th October 2015TV review, Bull, Gold
Bull might be set in an antique shop but the most priceless relics can be found lurking in the script. This three-part series, written by Gareth Gwynne and John-Luke Roberts, is not afraid to fall back on a clichéd gag but does it with such cheesy relish that you can't help but laugh.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 28th October 2015Matt Berry on fishcakes, Toast of London and Roy Keane
On tour, on telly and all over the place, the comedy star takes on our First & Last quiz.
Brian Donaldson, The List, 28th October 2015Creating and writing 'Top Coppers'
If you've seen Top Coppers on BBC Two recently, then you might be forgiven for thinking you had slipped into some kind of weird retro TV dream that looked like the 70s but had endless 90s references, with characters seemingly from all of the world, yet they live in a completely made-up place. And there's a hamster on a zipline. Co-creators and writers Andy Kinnear and Céin McGillicuddy are to blame for that.
Andy Kinnear and Céin McGillicuddy, BBC Writersroom, 28th October 2015The News Quiz review
The News Quiz is one of those radio shows that make you not only laugh out loud, but also audibly gasp at the brashness of what the panel are saying.
Lauren Porter, The Student Newspaper, 28th October 2015Detectorists - Series 2 preview
Perhaps an unlikely topic for a sitcom, but one that absolutely works.
Elliot Gonzalez, I Talk Telly, 28th October 2015Does your character have to be likeable?
There is a long running debate in comedy about whether comic characters need to be likeable.
James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 28th October 2015Bob Mortimer inundated with support
Messages of support have poured in for Shooting Stars comedian Bob Mortimer, as he recovers from a triple heart bypass.
The Mirror, 28th October 2015Carpool review
Carpool existed long before Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and James Corden's Carpool Karaoke segment.
Anglonerd, 28th October 2015TV & radio
10:45am15 min
How To Survive The Roman Empire, By Pliny And Me
Series 1, Episode 3Pliny has an unnerving visit from his fellow lawyer, and arch-rival, Regulus.
11:30am30 min
A Trespasser's Guide To The Classics
Series 1, Episode 3 - A Fistful of SandRichard Wilson plays Robinson Crusoe in an irreverent re-boot of Daniel Defoe's classic. After cheating their captain of the ship's treasure, a couple of sailors go into hiding on a deserted island. Their plans to lay low are rumbled when they're discovered by a long-forgotten castaway and his Spanish manservant.
5pm15 min
Scream Street
Series 1, Episode 2 - Haunted HouseLuke is curious when a new house appears in Scream Street, but then it comes alive and locks him and his friends in! They end up stuck in the basement, and when the room starts to rumble it looks like our trio are about to become dinner - will they get out alive?
5:20pm15 min
Go Jetters
Series 1, Episode 3 - Stonehenge, EnglandCan the Go Jetters stop Glitch playing dominoes with the ancient stones of Stonehenge?
6:30pm30 min
To Hull And Back
Series 1, Episode 2 - An Affair To ForgetSophie is on a quest for love whilst her mother is trying to get accepted into a posh lady's golf club. Door-to-door sellers peddling thick bleach and an accident with a milk float all conspire to thwart their efforts.
9pm60 min
You, Me And The Apocalypse
Episode 523 days to go. Jamie makes a discovery that leaves him feeling completely betrayed. Elsewhere, Ariel sends Scotty a worrying message and Rhonda realises no one can be trusted.
10pm30 min
Bull
Episode 2 - A Fine Example Of A Victorian Chess Set (1865)Rupert Bull Antiques is threatened when a rival antiques firm opens a branch, owned by the enigmatic Mr. Mumford and supported by a celebrity.
11pm15 min
The Pin
Series 1, Episode 2Strap in for a 15 minute delve in to a world of oddness performed in front of a live studio audience.