BCG Daily Tuesday 4th February 2020
Features
Press clippings
Geoff Norcott interview
He's been around the comedy block for a number of years, but Geoff Norcott has shifted up numerous gears from being a stalwart club comic to an Edinburgh Fringe draw to a touring comedian with a growing number of TV and radio credits under his belt.
The Express and Star, 4th February 2020Let Mobeen put kids on the straight and narrow
Season three of Man Like Mobeen has hit our screens and it is phenomenal. I genuinely believe that this programme - which follows Birmingham lad Mobeen as he tries to be a good Muslim, look after his little sister and stay away from a life of crime - needs to be compulsory viewing in secondary schools up and down the country. Mr Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, listen up.
Sara Tor, The Times, 4th February 2020Ben Hodge interview
"You have to laugh about the ups and downs." Ben Hodge on finding space in comedy to be himself with no explanation.
Blizzard Comedy, 4th February 2020Inside comedy channel Dave's TikTok strategy
"TikTok is the best place for Hypothetical because the user behaviour fits perfectly with the show premise," said Erina Jones, who is head of social media at UKTV, broadcaster of Dave.
Digiday, 4th February 2020Rehearsals begin for John Cleese show Bang Bang!
Rehearsals have begun at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre for John Cleese's new comedy show Bang Bang!.
Rebecca Sayce, The Express and Star, 4th February 2020New BBC podcast for James Acaster
James Acaster is to launch a new BBC podcast based on his belief that 2016 was the best year ever for music.
Chortle, 4th February 2020Leicester Comedy Festival interview: Samantha Pressdee
Her show is directed by Phil Nichol and did really well at the Edinburgh Fringe last year. Covered is a raucous and slightly dirty show tackling mental health provision on the NHS and austerity cuts. I caught up with Samantha to find out all about it.
Phoenix Remix, 4th February 2020TV review: Inside No. 9, series 5, episode 1
I could have forgiven the questionably dodgy plot if it had been a funny episode, but the majority of the jokes were just laborious and banal and there's absolutely no excuse for that.
Alex Finch, Comedy To Watch, 4th February 2020Connie Wookey: Denied, VAULT Festival review
Connie Wookey: Denied is just one of the musically comedic, one-woman-shows on offer this year at VAULT Festival, and it certainly packs a punch.
Steph J. Watkins, The Play's The Thing UK, 4th February 2020Unexploded WW2 bomb threatens Private Eye deadline
Private Eye drew on the Blitz spirit to get the magazine off to print on time after an unexploded Second World War bomb forced staff to evacuate the newsroom and relocate to the pub. Editor Ian Hislop was away while the drama unfolded in Soho, London, yesterday afternoon with Nick Newman standing in to finish off the jokes and cover on the fortnightly print title ahead of its 6pm deadline.
Freddy Mayhew, The Press Gazette, 4th February 2020Howay the laughs! Is there a Geordie sense of humour?
We're brutal, awkward, daft and surreal, say the rising stars of Tyneside's booming comedy scene. Our writer braces herself for a gag-heavy night on the toon.
Rachael Healy, The Guardian, 4th February 2020The Windsors creators actually predicted Megxit
While most of us were surprised when Meghan and Harry announced they were stepping back from the royal family, turns out that the people behind C4 show The Windsors had already predicted.
Mariana Cerqueira, What's On TV, 4th February 2020David Mitchell: we are living in quite humourless times
"There's a tendency for people to judge a joke purely on the grounds of whether they agree with the person telling it," he says. "The idea that we should take a step back and mock the whole situation - and that that's a societally-useful thing to do - seems to have taken a bit of a knock. It's grinding comedy down and it's f**king tedious."
Robert Jackman, The Spectator, 4th February 2020Nick Mohammed and David Schwimmer on Intelligence
Mohammed, who wrote the series, and Friends star Schwimmer give us the lowdown on what to expect from the series...
Chortle, 4th February 2020Podcasts
TV & radio
Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators
Series 3, Episode 2 - See Thyself, Devil!Frank and Lu take on the case of a washed-up rock star who believes that the Devil is trying to kill him, and set out to unmask the real culprit.
4 O'Clock Club
Series 9, Episode 1 - AXOLOTLBell's staff training session is ruined by Chester's disastrous fire safety inspection.
8 Out Of 10 Cats
Series 22, Episode 5Joel Dommett, Rosie Jones, Ovie Soko and Catherine Bohart answer questions based on opinion polls.