BCG Daily Monday 28th October 2019

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BCG Pro

Press clippings

The Lenny Henry Birthday Show. Lenny Henry

Lenny Henry, Watford Colosseum review

It's a long time since Lenny Henry performed live comedy, and a lot has happened in that interval.

Veronica Lee, The Arts Desk, 28th October 2019
The Lenny Henry Birthday Show. Lenny Henry

Lenny Henry: Who Am I, Again? review

A beguiling show let down by a weak second half.

Dominic Maxwell, The Times, 28th October 2019
The End Of The F***ing World. Image shows from L to R: Alyssa (Jessica Barden), James (Alex Lawther)

End of the F***ing World creator: no series three

The screenwriter reveals why she's "done" with the cult series - and why viewers shouldn't be disappointed that season two isn't "fan fiction".

Flora Carr, Radio Times, 28th October 2019
Nish Kumar. Copyright: Steve Ullathorne

Nish Kumar joins line up for Lord's Xmas lunch

Football legend Harry Redknapp and comedian Nish Kumar are the special guests at the Lord's Taverners Christmas Lunch what will be an afternoon full of sport, comedy and fundraising for the charity.

The Cricketer, 28th October 2019
The Lenny Henry Birthday Show. Lenny Henry

Lenny Henry review

The comedian has his buddy Jon Canter tee up one big-name anecdote after another in a cosy night that pays tribute ... to himself.

Brian Logan, The Guardian, 28th October 2019
This Time With Alan Partridge. Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan). Copyright: Baby Cow Productions

Greg James snubs One Show because of Alan Partridge

The BBC Radio 1 DJ admitted Steve Coogan's iconic comedy character - a hapless TV presenter totally lacking in self awareness - was such a "p**s take" of the Beeb's tea time magazine show during his most recent series that he still can't bring himself to even accept a guest spot on the programme because now the lines are so blurred.

Female First, 28th October 2019
Jess Robinson

Experience The Jess Robinson Experience! Q&A

We caught up with Jess to talk about her show, how busy she is and why there won't be a hint of panto about this show...

Funny Women, 28th October 2019
Hannah Gadsby

Hannah Gadsby review

Douglas is a masterpiece of a comedy show.

Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard, 28th October 2019

The people's improvisers! - this week - Emily Brady

Welcome to a new fortnightly article where we speak to different improvisers about their five top improvisers and why. Of course, there are many people that do improv that are fantastic that it may actually be a bit mean to just limit it to only five people but I wanted to create this article so that you can be introduced to players you may not of heard or maybe find out how some of the best known improvisers are inspiring others. Today, I sit down with the founder of the Improv Treehouse Podcast who is also a huge part of the improv community in Nottingham - Emily Brady.

Phoenix Remix, 28th October 2019
Fran Garrity

Fran Garrity in finding positivity

"It's not the circumstances you find yourself in, but it's how you deal with them."

Blizzard Comedy, 28th October 2019
Little Britain. Image shows from L to R: David Walliams, Ashley Blaker, Matt Lucas. Copyright: Ashley Blaker

Little Britain special announcement sparks backlash

Many voiced concerns that the show's brand of un-politically correct humour would simply be offensive to today's audiences. Some also highlighted how Lucas himself had expressed such worries in 2017.

Thomas Ling, Radio Times, 28th October 2019
Matthew Highton

Comedy Canteen review

Sometimes it seems you can't turn on TV without catching a cooking programme or open a newspaper without reading about the latest foodie trend. Yet comedy seems slow to catch on to this national obsession - an oversight that Comedy Canteen aims to address. Even if the culinary content is dubious, it deserves a Michelin star for silliness.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 28th October 2019

Improv community heroes: Ben Tucker!

Alex and I have created a new show: Sex, Lies & Improvisation, a dark comedy about lying together. We're touring it this autumn but we can't do that without a network of awesome improvisers who run great events in their improv communities. I want to celebrate those people with this blog series.

Phoenix Remix, 28th October 2019

Women of improv month - Kate Knight

This month I chatted to over 30 female improvisers from all over the UK to celebrate the talent that we have - we also discuss some of the important debates surrounding this topic as well. Today I talk to an improviser that is part of Box of Frogs and Squidheart - Kate Knight.

Phoenix Remix, 28th October 2019
The New Statesman. Alan B'Stard MP (Rik Mayall). Copyright: Alomo Productions / Yorkshire Television

Biography extract: how Portillo inspired B'Stard

Mark Searby, the resident film critic on BBC Radios Northampton and Suffolk, has written a new biography about Rik Mayall, concentrating on his work and compiled from more than 30 interviews with the likes of Alexei Sayle, Nigel Planer, Laurence Marks & Maurice Gran and more. In this exclusive preview, he describes the genesis of Alan B'Stard, the anti-hero of The New Statesman.

Mark Searby, Chortle, 28th October 2019
Hannah Gadsby

Hannah Gadsby: Douglas review

Deceptively imaginative and beguilingly articulate.

Dominic Maxwell, The Times, 28th October 2019
Theatre Stage Door

Improv corner - embrace feedback

Sometimes our biggest critics can be ourselves but sometimes we over think everything and end up creating a negative effect on ourselves. The one thing that we should always pay attention to is feedback by others - this isn't meant to be something that is meant to make you feel bad about yourself, no, this is a great way to develop yourself as an improviser and also to see where you need to improve.

Holly, Phoenix Remix, 28th October 2019

Videos

Podcasts

TV & radio

GiggleQuiz. Justin Fletcher. Copyright: BBC

GiggleQuiz

Series 1, Episode 1 - Dina Lady's Brussels Sprout Cake

Dina Lady's brussels sprout cake is a recipe for chaos in today's quiz. Nana Knickerbocker and her panto cows also get busy making cakes.

Radio 4
6:30pm
30 min
The Museum Of Curiosity. Image shows from L to R: Bridget Christie, John Lloyd. Copyright: BBC

The Museum Of Curiosity

Gallery 14, Episode 5 - Meeting Eighty-Five

The latest people to donate to Gallery 14 are comedian Andrew Maxwell, actor Celia Imrie and medicinal historian Lindsey Fitzharris.

The Unexplainers. Image shows from L to R: John Rutledge, Mike Bubbins. Copyright: Zipline Creative

The Unexplainers

Series 5, Episode 4 - Is Time Travel Possible?

After hearing rumours that a ripple in space-time is swallowing residents of a UK city, Mike Bubbins and John Rutledge investigate whether time travel is possible.

Plebs. Daedalus Greco (Tony Robinson). Copyright: RISE Films

Plebs

Series 5, Episode 6 - The Dig

The boys begin an archaeological dig in their bar after Grumio unearths an old brooch while sitting on the toilet. They try to keep their activity a secret but others cotton on and when a professor of archaeology goes missing, the boys are brought in for questioning as they paid him a recent visit. Guest starring Tony Robinson.

BBC Two
10pm
30 min
Motherland. Image shows from L to R: Anne (Philippa Dunne), Amanda (Lucy Punch), Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin)

Motherland

Series 2, Episode 4 - The Purge

Kevin reluctantly hosts a last-minute Halloween party. Julia takes the kids trick or treating in an attempt to meet a celebrity who has just moved into the neighbourhood. Anne struggles to keep the children safe.

Tourist Trap. Image shows from L to R: Amy (Sara Gregory), Gwilyn (Tudur Owen), Mark (Sion Pritchard). Copyright: The Comedy Unit

Tourist Trap

Series 2, Episode 1

Wales is gripped by Banksy fever following the discovery of his artwork in Port Talbot.

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