British Comedy Guide
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BCG Daily Friday 1st June 2018

News

Press clippings

Tim Vine unveils Ken Dodd Bar at York Grand Opera House

Doddy and his joke telling style was a big influence on Tim - and he even remembered one of his jokes for us: "Harold's at the Battle of Hastings with an arrow sticking out of his eye and all his mates are going, 'maybe try blowing your nose...'" So there couldn't have been a better person to officially open the Ken Dodd Bar at the Grand Opera House.

York Mix, 1st June 2018

Two Ronnies 'four candles' script sells for £28,000

A buyer has forked out £28,000 for the handwritten script of The Two Ronnies' 'four candles' sketch.

BBC, 1st June 2018

Vladimir McTavish: 25 Years of Stand-Up review

The tone is amiable, the hour lightly amusing, but it does not feel like the apex of a 25-year career.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 1st June 2018

The Bromley Boys review

This frail comedy about a Bromley FC fan has the odd sweet moment but strikes a false and badly unfunny note.

Cath Clarke, The Guardian, 1st June 2018

Stuart Laws interview

The standup comic on the things that make him laugh the most.

Harriet Gibsone, The Guardian, 1st June 2018

Greatest TV comedies of the 2010s as picked by you

As we found out when we asked members of our Screen Babble discussion group on Facebook. Here, according to them, are the greatest TV comedies of the decade so far.

Mark Butler, i Newspaper, 1st June 2018

Katy Brand talks about her first play, 3Women

Comedian, actor and author Katy Brand recently added playwright to her list of credentials with her debut play 3Women, starring Anita Dobson, Debbi Chazen and Maisie Richardson-Sellers at the Trafalgar Studios. Our editor Kate Stone caught up with Katy to talk about playwriting, all-female projects and the different generations of feminism...

Kate Stone, Funny Women, 1st June 2018

Review: Stick by Me

Physical comedy and no shortage of laughs for the kids from the excellent Andy Manley.

Kelly Apter, The List, 1st June 2018

Videos

Podcasts

TV & radio

Radio 4 11:30am
30 min
Michael Frayn's Pocket Playhouse. Michael Frayn

Michael Frayn's Pocket Playhouse

Episode 1 - Assembly Instructions

Joanna Lumley opens the series. Alex Jennings is a subversive theatre director, Ian McKellen meets Mozart (George Blagden), Alfred Molina has security problems with packaging, Lisa Dillon and Edward Bennett are Mr and Mrs Andrews in Gainsborough's portrait at the National Gallery, Stephen Fry conducts a weird press interview with Martin Jarvis, and McKellen and Lumley are Mr and Mrs God.

BBC Three 12pm
3 min
Life Lessons. Darren Harriott

Life Lessons

Series 2, Episode 6 - Darren Harriott - The Privilege Scale

As a black man raised in a single parent household, Darren Harriott wants to know what is his privilege and what he can take advantage of - aside from the race card of course.

Comedy Central 1pm
2 min
Fin Taylor Plays Bullshit Bingo. Fin Taylor. Copyright: Comedy Central

Fin Taylor Plays Bullshit Bingo

Episode 5 - Vegan Bingo

Fin Taylor visits a vegan exhibition at Alexandra Palace to interview people about veganism.

BBC Radio Scotland 1:30pm
30 min
CBeebies logo. Credit: BBC 5:10pm
10 min
Go Jetters. Copyright: BBC

Go Jetters

Series 2, Episode 33 - The Sphinx, Egypt

Grandmaster Glitch is in need of a holiday, so he takes his Grimbots to Egypt for some rest and relaxation.

CBBC logo. Credit: BBC 6:10pm
15 min
Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed!. Copyright: Beano Studios

Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed!

Series 1, Episode 36 - School Of Croc

When Walter leaves his pampered pet croc, Crunchzilla, to fend for itself, Dennis and the gang help him to get in touch with its wild side. Walter does his best to prevent them, as he needs to keep the croc tame in the hope of getting back his father's limo keys, which Crunchzilla has accidentally swallowed.

Radio 4 6:30pm
30 min
The News Quiz. Andy Zaltzman

The News Quiz

Series 96, Episode 8

Miles is joined by Jeremy Hardy, Angela Barnes, Helen Lewis and Susan Calman for the final episode of this series. The teams tackle all the big stories of the week and Mamadou Gassama gets what we assume is his first mention in the history of the programme.

BBC One. Copyright: BBC 9pm
30 min
Have I Got News For You. Image shows left to right: Ian Hislop, Paul Merton. Credit: Matt Crockett

Have I Got News For You

Series 55, Episode 9

Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are joined by guest host Frank Skinner plus panellists Lucy Prebble and Henning Wehn.

BBC One. Copyright: BBC 9:30pm
30 min
Tracey Breaks The News. Image shows from L to R: Donald Trump (Anthony Atamanuik), Tracey Ullman. Copyright: BBC

Tracey Breaks The News

Series 2, Episode 1

Jeremy Corbyn has an awkward meeting with an old friend, Europe's beige-est leader Angela Merkel wonders about her image and Rupert Murdoch spends some quality time with his main squeeze Jerry Hall. Plus, brand new for this series are the ever-so-trustworthy Michael Gove, as well as the hilarious new double act of Jacob Rees-Mogg and his long-suffering Nanny.

Channel 4 logo. Copyright: Channel 4 Television Corporation 10pm
30 min
Friday Night Dinner. Adam (Simon Bird)

Friday Night Dinner

Series 5, Episode 5 - The Violin

Adam arrives home with his old violin. As a special treat Mum has made him agree to play for Grandma, who's coming for dinner. But Adam's not happy - he hasn't played for 12 years and has always hated playing the violin. Jonny is relishing every moment.

BBC Two 10pm
30 min
Frankie Boyle's New World Order. Image shows from L to R: Mona Chalabi, Sara Pascoe, Frankie Boyle, Katherine Ryan. Copyright: Zeppotron

Frankie Boyle's New World Order

Series 2, Episode 3

A newly-shaven Frankie is joined by special guests Jack Carroll and Holly Walsh this week as the panel discuss topics including social media.

Channel 4 logo. Copyright: Channel 4 Television Corporation 10:30pm
35 min
High & Dry. Image shows from L to R: Brett (Marc Wootton), Douglas (Harry Peacock)

High & Dry

Episode 5 - The Others

Douglas and Brett travel to the other island on their raft where they find, not only another far more successful group of survivors from the plane, but Brett's nemesis.

BBC One. Copyright: BBC 10:35pm
45 min
The Graham Norton Show. Graham Norton. Credit: So Television, Christopher Baines

The Graham Norton Show

Series 23, Episode 9 - Ethan Hawke, Toni Collette, Aidan Turner, Jo Brand, Liam Payne

Toni Collette says Muriel follows her everywhere, Ethan Hawke talks about Robin Williams, Aiden Turner reveals fall out with scything society, Jo Brand jokes about her fear of flying and Liam Payne says he doesn't understand Spanish despite his new song lyrics.

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