Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 3rd October 2016 |
We can't quite believe it: this is the 300th edition of our weekly newsletter. Thanks to all our readers, particularly those of you who have been subscribed since we launched this mailing list 6 years ago. |
Latest Comedy News |
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Dave orders Taskmaster Series 4 and Series 5
Channel Dave has ordered two more series of Taskmaster, the show created by Alex Horne in which Greg Davies sets comedians challenges. Read |
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Red Dwarf stage show considered
Red Dwarf writer Doug Naylor has suggested that the sci-fi sitcom could have a live stage show spin-off that tours the country. Read |
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Sky Arts reveals Halloween shorts
Jason Manford, Ross Noble, Matt Holness, Jamie Demetriou, Jayde Adams, Steen Raskopoulos, Guz Khan and Kiri Pritchard-McLean have made Halloween shorts for Sky Arts. Read |
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John Bishop announces 2017 tour, 'Winging It'
John Bishop has announced a new live tour. Winging It will see him play arenas around the country in October and November 2017. Read |
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Still Game Live 2 announced for February 2017
Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill have announced Still Game: Live 2, ten live shows at the Glasgow Hydro featuring the characters from their hit TV sitcom. Read |
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Funny Women Awards 2016 winners announced
The winners of the Funny Women Awards 2016 have been announced. Harriet Braine, Carolyn Goodyear and Carol Walsh were the acts selected by judges. Read |
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BBC cancels Boy Meets Girl
BBC Two sitcom Boy Meets Girl has been cancelled after two series. Read |
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Morecambe & Wise statue for Blackpool
A statue of Morecambe & Wise is to be erected in Blackpool, the "spiritual home" of the duo, later this month. Read |
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Advert |
Last week Stewart Lee said "Hans is one of the greatest stand-ups ever". The hilariously absurd, wildly energetic and joyously unpredictable Hans Teeuwen returns to the UK after a six-year absence. Combining stand-up, clowning and cabaret, he is a uniquely endearing yet provocative showman. Hans is touring the UK until 27th October, then he's at Leicester Square Theatre in London in November. Dates & Tickets |
Features |
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Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill interview
Still Game's creators and stars Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill talk about the sitcom as it prepares to return to TV after a nine year break. Read |
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London Hughes on Immigration
Comedian London Hughes, who is performing at the 'We Love Immigration' comedy night tomorrow, talks about what it's like being the daughter of an 'immigrant'. Read |
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First Gig, Worst Gig: Ahir Shah
Philosophical stand-up Ahir Shah recalls folk club basements, Free Fringe revelations and one genuinely horrific night. Read |
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Kurupt FM: bonus videos
A series of bonus People Just Do Nothing videos, filmed by the stars of the show as online extras. You won't have seen these on TV. Read |
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Win Tandoori Nights on DVD
We've five copies of the complete ground-breaking 1980s Channel 4 sitcom Tandoori Nights to give away. Enter |
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John Sullivan's Only Fools & Horses script
Some pages from an Only Fools And Horses script, scribbled on by writer John Sullivan. This is an extract from The Peckham Archives book. View |
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Win Meet The Wife on DVD
Win the complete surviving collection of 1960s sitcom Meet The Wife, as immortalised by The Beatles. Freddie Frinton and Thora Hird star. Win |
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Podcasts
Elis James is on RHLSTP; Milton Jones and Natasia Demetriou are guests on Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown; and other new things to listen to or download here too: Listen |
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TV Listings |
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Danger Mouse Monday - Friday, CBBC, 6:45pm
The mouse is back! A new run of episodes in the revived animated series continues daily this week on CBBC at 6:45pm. Fans of the original 1980s show and newcomers alike should find plenty to enjoy. Guide |
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Cold Feet Monday, ITV, 9pm
Jenny is shocked when an old flame turns up at work. Reformed alcoholic Grant is on the pathway to atonement and wants to right the wrongs of the past, but his arrival opens a can of worms with irreversible consequences. Guide |
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Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit
Monday, Dave, 10pm
Comedians Dave Gorman and Josie Long join host Dara O Briain, games expert Ellie Gibson and team captains Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon to play five video games. Guide |
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Morgana Robinson's The Agency Monday, BBC Two, 10pm
Vincent receives news of a huge audition for EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy opposite a Hollywood A-lister. Also in this episode, we meet pop star Cheryl Cole, and Danny Dyer is up for an unlikely award. Guide |
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Duck Quacks Don't Echo Tuesday, Sky 1, 8pm
Mad Dogs actor Philip Glenister and comedians Jo Brand and Josh Widdicombe join host Lee Mack in putting more madcap theories to the test. Guide |
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Mount Pleasant Tuesday, Sky 1, 9pm
This week in the comedy drama Roger finds out the truth about Jane, and Denise and Ollie have their first date. But things don't go quite as smoothly as they'd hoped. Guide |
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Taskmaster Tuesday, Dave, 10pm
Greg Davies and Alex Horne return with a new set of challenges, this series frustrating the minds of Al Murray, Dave Gorman, Paul Chowdhry, Rob Beckett and Sara Pascoe. The opening episode includes vegetable propulsion. Guide |
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Damned Tuesday, Channel 4, 10pm
Channel 4's new sitcom about a social services department continues. Rose uncovers an embarrassing truth whilst investigating an improper teacher-pupil relationship. Guide |
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Unspun With Matt Forde Wednesday, Dave, 10pm
Expect plenty more talk about the triggering of Article 50, grammar schools, and other news from Conservative Party Conference on Unspun this week. Matt will be joined in the studio by Labour MP Chuka Umunna. Guide |
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Josh
Thursday, BBC Three, 10am
Episode 3 of this sitcom launches on iPlayer on Thursday morning, and Jennifer Saunders returns to guest star as flatmate Kate's mum. Episode 2 makes its TV debut on Friday night at 11:25pm on BBC One. Guide |
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Red Dwarf Thursday, Dave, 9pm
The hit new series of the sci-fi sitcom continues. After an altercation with a deranged droid Lister has his kidneys organ-napped. The only solution is to ask Cat, the most selfish creature in the universe, to give him one of his. Guide |
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A League Of Their Own Thursday, Sky 1, 9pm
The guys are joined by former West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp, comedian David Walliams and the UK's number one female tennis player, Johanna Konta. Guide |
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Celebrity Juice Thursday, ITV2, 10pm
Joining the teams this week are Geordie TV queen Vicky Pattison, comedian Johnny Vegas and Emmerdale star Danny Miller - plus Johnny Vegas should be back for more outrageous debauchery. Guide |
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The Outcast Comic
Thursday, Sky Arts, 10pm
One-off documentary exploring censorship and free speech in comedy, through the experience of centre-right comedian Andrew Lawrence. Guide |
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Would I Lie To You? Friday, BBC One, 8:30pm
Another edition of the regularly laugh-out-loud parlour game, with Claudia Winkleman, Jamie Laing, Rhod Gilbert and Tracy-Ann Oberman. Guide |
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Have I Got News For You Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm
The long-running panel show returns for an amazing fifty-second series - with another two already commissioned for 2017. This week, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg takes to the host's chair. See our guide for the fortune-teller themed trailer. Guide |
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Still Game Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm
It's back! The critically acclaimed Scottish sitcom Still Game makes a highly-anticipated return to television this week, now on BBC One. In Episode 1, Craiglang's residents can't resist the temptation of the Futuroo catalogue and Jack needs help after having a long bath. Guide |
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Mock The Week
Friday, BBC Two, 10pm
Dara O Briain and Hugh Dennis mock the events of the last seven days with guests James Acaster, Rob Beckett, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe and John Robins. Guide |
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The Last Leg Friday, Channel 4, 10pm
Paralympic champions Jonnie Peacock and Ellie Simmonds join Adam, Alex and Josh on the sofa for the first episode in a new series of the show. Guide |
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The Graham Norton Show Friday, BBC One, 10:35pm
This week Graham is joined by legendary actor Danny De Vito; Jurassic Park star Sam Neill; and top comedians John Bishop and Miranda Hart. With musical guest Amber Riley. Guide |
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8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown Saturday, Channel 4, 9pm
Guest captain David Walliams and Jessica Hynes go up against Jon Richardson and Rhod Gilbert in the words and numbers game. Meanwhile Sam Simmons is in Dictionary Corner. Guide |
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Newzoids Saturday, ITV, 10pm
Final episode of the latest series of the topical puppet animation sketch show poking fun at pop stars, politicians, sporting personalities and other celebrities. It's been getting notably higher viewing figures than Jonathan Ross's chat show straight after it, so expect a third series to be commissioned. Guide |
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The Jonathan Ross Show Saturday, ITV, 10:30pm
This week Jonathan welcomes Strictly Come Dancing's Darcey Bussell; comedian Jack Whitehall; star of Whiplash and Fantastic Four, Miles Teller; award-winning comedian Alan Carr; and chart-topping band Years and Years who give a live performance in the studio. Guide |
For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio comedy, see our full schedule. |
New Shop Products |
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The Complete Up The Elephant And Round The Castle
OUT NOW. Comedian Jim Davidson consolidated his phenomenal rise to fame with this hit early-80s sitcom from Thames TV, starring as a happy-go-lucky Cockney who inherits a house but finds owning his own 'castle' brings its own set of problems. Written by Spike Mullins, his co-stars over 3 series are John Bardon, Anita Dobson, Sue Nicholls and others, plus a range of great guests. Details |
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Only Fools And Horses - The Peckham Archives
PRE-ORDER. A brand new collection of documents relating to the smash hit sitcom and its characters. As well as extracts of scripts from John Sullivan's personal files, the book includes the Trotters' family tree, paperwork from Rodney's school days, snapshots from family holidays, and even the first chapter draft of Rodney's novel. Details |
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The Renown Comedy Collection - Volume One
OUT NOW. Collection of ten British comedy films, starring the likes of Bob Monkhouse, Peggy Mount and David Kossoff, Brian Rix, William Hartnell, Norman Evans, David Tomlinson, with direction from the likes of Val Guest. Titles include Dentist In The Chair, Inn For Trouble, Demobbed, And The Same To You, and Two On The Tiles. Details |
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Scottish Mussel
PRE-ORDER. 2015 romantic comedy set in the Scottish Highlands, with Martin Compston, Talulah Riley, Joe Thomas, Rufus Hound, Russell Kane and Harry Enfield. Glaswegian chance Ritchie hopes to make his fortune as an illegal pearl fisher, but his intentions change when he meets and falls for a beautiful English conservationist. Details |
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Tony Robinson - No Cunning Plan: My Story
OUT NOW. Blackadder. Maid Marian. Time Team. In this brand new autobiography, Sir Tony Robinson reveals how a boy from South Woodford went from child stardom in the first stage production of Oliver! to comedy icon Baldrick, and archaeology and history TV icon. Details |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
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Comedy Videos |
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Trigger Happy
Dom Joly is back with a new series of Trigger Happy TV... but now as an online show. There's some inventive new prank ideas here... like a street full of jack in the box wheelie bins. Watch
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Tales Of The Serengeti
A new animated comedy series by Ralph Kidson, published via BBC Three's YouTube channel. It follows the story of some animals tried to hide the fact they've killed some hunters. It may initially look cute, the very strong language means it's for adults only. Watch
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Heston Blumenthal cooks humans
It was only a matter of time... Heston has gone mad and is now making a dish out of the great British public. This is a great mash-up of clips edited together by CopeandDalton. Watch |
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Dial a Punch
A documentary about an agency that helps people let out their anger by being a personal punch bag for them. Watch |
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Stakeout
Detectives McGuffen & McGiffin are on the hunt for the elusive Steve's Gang in this short film from Broken Toaster. Watch |
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Shirley Ghostman versus Derek Acorah
This below video shows the moment that Marc Wootton, in character as 'psychic' Shirley Ghostman, invaded the stage during a Derek Acorah show. The stunt resulted in him being lead away by the police. Watch |
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Drifters - Series 4 trailer
Series 4 of Drifters starts on TV next Monday. Here's the trailer: Watch |
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Russell Howard & Mum: US Road Trip
The trailer for Russell Howard's new TV show. In the six-part series he goes on an eye-opening trip around the USA with his mum. It starts on Comedy Central on Wednesday 19th October. Watch |
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Yonderland - Series 3 trailer
The fantastical world of Yonderland is in grave danger - but there is hope! A prophesy speaks of a chosen one: an ordinary mum, named Debbie. The new series starts on the 16th October. Watch |
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Spaced - All the movie references
Homage, pastiche, tributes, call them what you will, you can check out of all Edgar Wright's best movie references in Spaced and celebrate the show's 17th anniversary! Watch |
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Guide Spotlight |
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Not Now, Comrade
Leslie Phillips, Roy Kinnear, Windsor Davies, Don Estelle, Michele Dotrice and June Whitfield lead the all-star cast in this 1976 farce written and co-directed by stage legend Ray Cooney. Amidst the height of the Cold War, a visiting star Russian ballet dancer escapes his minders and intends to defect to the West. Catch it on TV at 9:50pm tonight, or order the DVD. Guide |
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