Weekly Newsletter |
Monday 3rd August 2020 |
Who is in the next series of Taskmaster? What is The Pursuit Of Love? Where is the Piers Morgan Liquorice Museum? We have answers...
Latest comedy news
Romesh Ranganathan to host A League Of Their Own
Romesh Ranganathan will host six of the episodes in the new series of A League of Their Own. Jamie Redknapp and Freddie Flintoff will also present one episode each.
New film Say Your Prayers to be released in September
Roger Allam, Derek Jacobi and Anna Maxwell Martin are to star in the black comedy Say Your Prayers, released next month.
Jamali Maddix to host Comedy Central's Edinburgh Fringe series
Comedy Central At The Edinburgh Fringe will be hosted by Jamali Maddix. The acts taking part will include Leo Reich, Helen Bauer and Thanyia Moore.
Stath Lets Flats leads comedy results at BAFTA TV Awards 2020
Stath Lets Flats, Sian Clifford, Jamie Demetriou, Mo Gilligan, Romesh Ranganathan, Taskmaster and Gavin & Stacey were amongst the comedy-related winners at the BAFTA TV Awards 2020. Click through to see video clips of the speeches from all the winners.
Channel 5 to celebrate classic sitcoms and sketches
Channel 5 is to broadcast new show Jo Brand's Classic Comedy Sketches... Of The 80s, plus a series of tributes to four popular BBC sitcoms: Gavin & Stacey, Dad's Army, Are You Being Served? and Only Fools And Horses.
Gbemisola Ikumelo's Brain In Gear commissioned
Brain In Gear, a 2019 episode of Comedy Shorts, has been commissioned to a full series by BBC Two.
Legendary sitcom producer/director Sydney Lotterby dies
Producer and director Sydney Lotterby, whose credits include Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Porridge, The Liver Birds and As Time Goes By, has died at the age of 93.
Taskmaster Series 10 line-up revealed
Daisy May Cooper, Johnny Vegas, Katherine Parkinson, Mawaan Rizwan and Richard Herring will take part in Series 10 of Taskmaster.
The Real McCoy added to BBC iPlayer
1990s sketch show The Real McCoy, which primarily featured Black and Asian cast members, has been added to BBC iPlayer.
Network launches archive ITV streaming platform
Archive DVD distributor Network has launched its own on-demand streaming platform, offering a range of titles from the catalogue of former ITV broadcaster ABC Television. The programmes, primarily from the 1960s, are unavailable anywhere else or in any other format.
Filming starts on BBC comedy drama The Pursuit Of Love
Production is underway on The Pursuit Of Love, Emily Mortimer's BBC One comedy drama adaptation of Nancy Mitford's celebrated novel. Lily James, Emily Beecham and Dominic West star.
Features
Online festival survey
We're considering running an online festival event of comedy goodness towards the end of September, and we'd love to know if you think it's a good idea or not. Could you help us out by answering these eight quick questions?
Squeamish About... Top Countryside Destinations
Ever heard of the Goths And Goats Festival? Or the Piers Morgan Liquorice Museum? Here's a guide to the top countryside destinations in the UK, as provided by the new BBC Two show Squeamish About....
Semi-Detached interviews
Lee Mack talks about his desire to take on more acting roles, and writers David Crow and Oliver Maltman talk about the challenges involved in creating a sitcom set in real-time. We also hear from cast members Ellie White and Samantha Spiro.
First Gig, Worst Gig: Samantha Hannah
Her lockdown special is now on NextUp, but which real live crowd made Samantha Hannah go a bit explicit?
Fawlty Towers made out of Lego
Take a look at this Lego set that features Fawlty Towers rooms and characters.
British Comedy Quiz #112
Alexei Sayle, Annette Crosbie, No Angels, Drop The Dead Donkey and Just Good Friends are amongst this week's questions.
Random 8: John Osborne
Paul Merton, Mrs Merton and a perfect lockdown soundtrack: sitcom-scribe and storyteller John Osborne gives us eight random answers.
Dos and Don'ts for New Comedy Writers
Interested in creating comedy? Top comedy producer Simon Nicholls offers up some suggested Dos and Don'ts for new comedy writers in this article.
Scotland's Hate Crime Bill and its threat to comedy
Comedian Leo Kearse highlights his home nation's alarming proposed legislation, and the dangers it poses to the free speech necessary for comedy.
BCG Pro Talent Awards
We'd like to offer a big congratulations to the producers, directors and editors who were shortlisted in our BCG Pro Talent Awards. You can see their creations on the BCG Pro website.
Our next contest is now open, for stand-up comedians, sketch groups, etc... it's our Performance Award.
Podcasts
In the latest Sitcom Geeks podcast, James Cary and Dave Cohen talk to Home writer and star Rufus Jones. Meanwhile stand-up Lauren Pattison is on Richard Herring's podcast.
TV listings
Mandy
The new series of Diane Morgan's sitcom starts next week but, before that, there's another chance tonight to see the 15-minute pilot which was first shown in 2019.
QI
Sandi Toksvig asks questions on the theme of roaming this week, with Sara Pascoe, Josh Widdicombe and Benjamin Zephaniah and Alan Davies trying to come up with interesting answers.
Red Dwarf: The First Three Million Years
The first in a three-part documentary series telling the full history of cult sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf. The stars are interviewed, and there's a wealth of classic clips.
There She Goes
Rosie is beyond excited as the family head off to their favourite holiday hotel on the Devon coast - but things are not exactly as she remembered.
In The Long Run
As Bagpipes continues to ponder the fragility of life, he hears that Rajesh is trying for a baby.
Semi-Detached
Following on from the pilot, it's the first episode of the real-time sitcom following the hapless Stuart (Lee Mack) as he struggles between his new family and ex-wife, who lives across the road.
Squeamish About...
The first in a four-part series in which Matt Berry voices over archive footage in character as historian Michael Squeamish. You'll not learn anything real from this!
Tudur's TV Flashback
Tudur Owen embarks on a quest to discover the truth about the human body in his clips-based show. It's a story of breakdancers, contortionists and '80s jacuzzis.
8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown
Jon Richardson and Tom Allen take on Sean Lock and Rosie Jones in the classic words and numbers quiz, while Sean Bean - aka Adam Riches - joins Susie Dent.
For a complete list of broadcasts, including repeats and radio shows, see our full schedule.
Shop
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Not Now, ComradeAn uproarious farce adapted from the long-running West End hit, featuring a classic line-up of comedy veterans, including Leslie Phillips, Carol Hawkins, Roy Kinnear, June Whitfield, Ian Lavender, Windsor Davies and Don Estelle. Not Now, Comrade is packed to the brim with mistaken identities, assumed names, extreme confusion, double-takes and triple entendres, and this brand new high definition transfer brings it to Blu-ray for the first time. Rudi, the highly-strung star of a Russian ballet company, defects to the West. Or, at least, he tries to. Unable to reach safety and pursued by the KGB, he takes refuge with a passing stripper named Barbara. From that point, his plans go somewhat downhill! |
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From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge PodcastBroadcaster, writer, philanthroper and one of the first public figures to suggest high-visibility clothing for people manning temporary car parks, the public Alan Partridge is a cherished institution. But what of the unseen Alan? For the first time, this famously private man welcomes us into his home and audibly deshrouds himself for a fascinating series of podcasts. Over the course of 18 generously-durated episodes, Partridge grants us full and unfettered access to his off-screen life (within reason). |
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Jack Rooke - Cheer The F**K Up: How To Save Your Best FriendCheer The F**K Up is a bold and very personal account of a young comedian's experiences with mental health. An ode to the importance of friendship, Jack Rooke takes us on a mission to better understand the reasons why so many people are struggling, and how we can all feel better equipped in knowing how to support that one friend we might be that bit more worried about. Part comedic memoir, part advice guide, this book is a fresh and timely take on a huge issue very close to Jack's heart. Taking you on a journey through his life and experiences with grief, sexuality, depression and more, Jack offers his own frank and powerful advice on how best to have meaningful conversations about a loved one's state of mind. |
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Horrible Histories - Series EightIt's Series 8 of the BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Horrible Histories. Join the team for an irreverent look at some of history's most amazing people and happenings, including: the Victorians inventing film (Queen Victoria was a HUGE fan!), some of history's greatest fashion faux pas and fiercest females, as well as a celebration of the heroic home front. Plus, Dara O'Briain joins Rattus to celebrate the Moon Landings, Fred Sirieix advises him on Manners and Dani Dyer becomes Rattus's Political advisor for a look at Putrid Politics. |
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Bennett Arron - My First SitcomA 10,000 word step-by-step guide to writing a sitcom script, by comedian Bennett Arron. 20% of sales will go to Dementia UK and Parkinson's UK. |
For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.
Comedy videos
Our Ladies - Official trailer
The trailer for a new film about a female choir, based on a best-selling late-90s novel, which is due to be released next month.
Boris Johnson seeks daily briefing spokesperson
Katie Davison portrays the people you know who could be Boris Johnson's new daily briefing spokesperson...
Capital, give me the cash
Connor is obsessed with a radio station's phone in game. We all want to win it, but at what cost?
Bat Sh*t
Filmed during lockdown, this campaigning short film starring Romesh Ranganathan gives a voice to some of the animal species who have fallen victim to human behaviour over the years. Look out for Rich Hall as a bat.
Alexis Dubus - To Be A Comic (poem)
Alexis Dubus performs a song to try and put anyone else off trying to become a comedian. His Things You Didn't Need To Say and Vera The Belching Masseuse videos are smart too.
Uncle Ted - Trailer
The trailer for this new film, which is now on Amazon Prime Video. Uncle Ted is a self-proclaimed comic genius and world's greatest showman.
When you lend someone your pen...
Ever given out your pen and not got it back? This is the comedy rap for you!
The Gays Days
A sitcom pilot about a gay friendship circle. Meet the fabulous group of Richie, Anto, Benji, Aaron and Kyle.
Dragony Aunts - Sandra From GoggleBox
This week the queens are helping Sandra Martin from Gogglebox with a bedroom issue that leaves them in hysterics.
Vows
Maybe we would do things differently if only we knew...
Spotlight
Maggie And Her
Piloted as Poppy And Her in 1976, this quiet but popular LWT sitcom returned and ran for two series later in the decade, starring the brilliant screen favourites - and wonderful pairing - of Julia McKenzie (Fresh Fields, Marple, Gangsta Granny) and Irene Handl. It follows divorced school teacher Maggie, who lives alone in a London flat whilst keenly on the search for her real Mr Right: if she ever gets the chance, amidst constant distractions and interventions from her elderly neighbour, Mrs Perry! Both series (including the pilot) are available on DVD.
Thanks for reading
George Young has won the latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition on the theme of hotels, with this short but great creation:
Hotel Chocolat: great suites.
Have a nice week! As always, there's more on our website if this wasn't enough.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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