Weekly Newsletter

Monday 16th November 2020

There's plenty of news again this week, but don't miss out on our latest feature articles too - we've got some real corkers to share.

Latest comedy news

Paul O'Grady becomes British Music Hall Society president

Paul O'Grady becomes British Music Hall Society president

Paul O'Grady has been announced as the new president of The British Music Hall Society.

Des O'Connor dies aged 88

Des O'Connor dies aged 88

Entertainer Des O'Connor has died aged at the aged 88. The comedian died on Saturday, following a fall at his home.

Hi-De-Hi! cast to reunite for online Q&A

Hi-De-Hi! cast to reunite for online Q&A

The cast of hit 1980s holiday camp sitcom Hi-De-Hi! are to reunite online on Wednesday 25th November for a live Q&A.

Famalam nominated in 2020 Rose d'Or Awards

Comedies up for Rose d'Or Awards

Famalam, Sex Education, Two Weeks To Live, Feel Good, This Way Up, There's Something About Movies and Agendum are nominated in the prestigious international Rose d'Or Awards 2020.

ITV's winter schedule to feature Billy Connolly and Mr Bean

ITV's winter schedule to feature Billy Connolly and Mr Bean

ITV's festive schedule will feature documentaries about Billy Connolly and Mr Bean. It's also revealed a number of other shows and comedy Christmas specials.

Paul Sinha's TV Showdown coming to ITV

Paul Sinha's TV Showdown coming to ITV

Paul Sinha is to host a new panel show in which the questions are about television. Paul Sinha's TV Showdown will start on ITV this winter.

Lee Mack to present new ITV game show The 1% Club

Lee Mack to present new ITV game show The 1% Club

Lee Mack has been announced as the host of new ITV game show The 1% Club.

Graham Norton to quit Radio 2

Graham Norton to quit Radio 2

Graham Norton is to stand down from presenting the Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 2... he's moving to Virgin Radio in 2021.

BBC Scotland sketch show 'Only An Excuse?' to end after 27 years

BBC Scotland sketch show 'Only An Excuse?' to end after 27 years

Only An Excuse?, the sketch show which has formed part of BBC One Scotland's festive schedule since the 1990s, is to end this December.

Radio 4 to pilot ethnic minority comedy BAMESHOW

Radio 4 to pilot ethnic minority comedy BAMESHOW

Desiree Burch is to front a new panel show pilot for BBC Radio 4, BAMESHOW, in which all participants are from ethnic minorities.

Features

Comedy Chronicles: Hello, I must be going: Groucho Marx on British TV

Comedy Chronicles: Hello, I must be going: Groucho Marx on British TV

Groucho Marx was a superstar of American comedy who could do no wrong, but when he made a British TV series in the mid-1960s, very little went right.

Ed Gamble does First Task, Worst Task

Ed Gamble does First Task, Worst Task

We've a special First Gig Worst Gig interview this week as Taskmaster podcaster and current champ Ed Gamble talks us through his first task, his worst task, and lots more besides.

Study says The IT Crowd has the most laughs a minute

Study says The IT Crowd has the most laughs a minute

A study has named The IT Crowd as the sitcom with the most laughs per minute. The participants laughed out loud for 1 minute and 44 seconds per hour. Other shows to rank highly include Peep Show and The Inbetweeners.

Pictures of comedians as kids

Pictures of comedians as kids

Take a look at this set of brilliant pictures of comedians when they were little.

British Comedy Quiz #127

British Comedy Quiz #127

Time to test your memory again. In the unlikely event you manage to get all 10 right don't be smug, as there's the cryptic clue to do too!

Win a huge ITV comedy DVD bundle

Win a huge ITV comedy DVD bundle

Win a massive ITV DVD bundle of Rising Damp, the Carry On films, and Norman Wisdom's movies: more than 40 episodes of sitcom AND more than 40 films across three box sets.

Comedy characters in cross stitch

Comedy characters in cross stitch

The characters from The IT Crowd, The League Of Gentlemen, The Fast Show, Friday Night Dinner, Ghosts and more... in cross stitch!

Random 8: Hal Cruttenden

Random 8: Hal Cruttenden

He's stoked to get back on stage at Peterborough's Clever Monkee Festival, but why did Hal Cruttenden need to stop watching one great British sitcom?

BCG Pro

BCG Pro

Bored in lockdown and interesting in learning how to write comedy? Head to our BCG Pro site. If you're already an active writer, there's loads for you too on this website.

TV listings

Guessable

Guessable

Monday 9pm, Comedy Central

Konnie Huq, Hal Cruttenden, Aisling Bea and Nathan Caton join team captains Alan Davies and Darren Harriott tonight.

Hey Tracey!

Hey Tracey!

Monday 10pm, ITV2

Joel Dommett hosts as Max George, Nigel Ng, Amelia Lily, Georgia Steel, Helen Bauer and Will Manning try to win snail and garlic flavour crisps.

Channel Hopping With Jon Richardson

Channel Hopping With Jon Richardson

Tuesday 9pm, Comedy Central

AJ Odudu is the guest joining Jon Richardson and Judi Love this week. There's some mad clips on this programme.

Don't Hate The Playaz

Don't Hate The Playaz

Tuesday 10pm, ITV2

Maya Jama, Big Narstie and Babatunde Aleshe go up against Lady Leshurr, Fern Brady, M Huncho and Nafe Smallz.

Out Of Her Mind

Out Of Her Mind

Tuesday 10pm, BBC Two

Episode 5 of Sara Pascoe's sitcom. Her father is back, which is forcing her to re-examine all her important male relationships.

There's Something About Movies

There's Something About Movies

Wednesday 9pm, Sky One

Jennifer Saunders calls on an Absolutely Fabulous friend as the legendary Joanna Lumley adds a touch of class to the fun this week. Also Nick Mohammed and comedian Rob Beckett.

Live At The Apollo

Live At The Apollo

Wednesday 10pm, BBC Two

A highlights episode celebrating disabled comedians who have appeared on the stand-up show. Adam Hills, Rosie Jones, Lost Voice Guy, Francesca Martinez, Chris McCausland, Jack Carroll, Tanyalee Davis and Jonny Pelham feature.

The Emily Atack Show

The Emily Atack Show

Wednesday 10pm, ITV2

Emily shares her honest musings on family life, and sheds some light on her own childhood with her parents sitting in the audience. Plus, impressions of stars including Stacey Solomon, Holly Willoughby and Keith Lemon.

Taskmaster

Taskmaster

Thursday 9pm, Channel 4

The second half of the comedy challenge series kicks off here. This week, Daisy May Cooper gets rather cross, Mawaan Rizwan learns a lesson about waterfowl and Richard Herring wrings out a wet sock.

Mock The Week

Mock The Week

Thursday 10pm, BBC Two

Angela Barnes, Ed Gamble, Rhys James, Zoe Lyons and Michael Odewale are set to mock the week this week.

Celebrity Juice

Celebrity Juice

Thursday 10pm, ITV2

Wes Nelson, Joe Swash, Chloe Sims, Pete Wicks and Jimmy Carr join team captains Laura Whitmore and Emily Atack.

The Russell Howard Hour

The Russell Howard Hour

Thursday 10pm, Sky One

Matthew McConaughey is set to join Russell Howard this week. It should be an interesting chat.

Maxxx

Maxxx

Thursday 10pm, Channel 4

Maxxx is thrown in at the deep end for his first solo performance when he's booked for a live televised charity fundraiser.

Have I Got News For You

Have I Got News For You

Friday 9pm, BBC One

Victoria Coren Mitchell hosts the satirical quiz, with guests Richard Osman and Fin Taylor joining Ian Hislop and Paul Merton.

The Last Leg

The Last Leg

Friday 10pm, Channel 4

Expect lots more covid chat as the trio are back on Friday night. There's no news yet as to who their guests will be.

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

Friday 10:45pm, BBC One

Romesh Ranganathan is set to be on the show this Friday, promoting his new book. Also Hugh Grant, Nigella Lawson, Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Amy Adams and Dua Lipa.

Spitting Image

Spitting Image

Saturday, BritBox

The puppet show continues. BritBox report it's driven a huge uptick in subscribers, so they'll be relieved to have already commissioned a second series for 2021.

The Jonathan Ross Show

The Jonathan Ross Show

Saturday 9:50pm, ITV

Michael McIntyre is set to sit in one of the yellow chairs this week. Other guests will include Joe Wicks. Little Mix will be dropping in for a chat and performing in the studio too.

Kenneth Williams: In His Own Words

Kenneth Williams: In His Own Words

Sunday 8pm, Channel 5

Kenneth Williams's comedy career highlights are celebrated in a documentary narrated by Gyles Brandreth.

Shopping With Keith Lemon

Shopping With Keith Lemon

Sunday 10pm, ITV2

Keith goes fruit and veg picking with comedian and presenter Joel Dommett and takes a trip down memory lane with Richard Blackwood at a Victorian museum.

Al Murray: Totally Out Of Character starts on Radio 4 on Tuesday at 6:30pm. For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.

Shop

Count Arthur Strong - Is There Anybody Out There?

Count Arthur Strong - Is There Anybody Out There?

Pre-order. DVD

As well as being the all round entertainer we all know and love from the telly, Count Arthur Strong is also a lifelong fan of astronomy, since having been given a microscope, or whatever it is they use, for Christmas when he was a small precocious baby. In fact it's said the first word he spoke was 'Uranus'.

In this, his brand new show, he seamlessly combines the very best showbiz entertainment you'll currently find, in the world, possibly? as he wrestles with some of the big questions that other all round entertainers shy away from. Such as: Are we alone in the universe? Is there life on Mars bars? 2lbs of potatoes. Packet of ginger nuts. Don't lose this shopping list.

Sandi Toksvig - Toksvig's Almanac 2021: An Eclectic Meander Through The Historical Year

Sandi Toksvig - Toksvig's Almanac 2021: An Eclectic Meander Through The Historical Year

Out now. Hardback, Audiobook, eBook

"Toksvig's Almanac is intended merely as a starting point for your own discoveries. Find a fabulous (or infamous) woman mentioned and, please, go looking for more of her story. The names mentioned are merely temptations. Amuse-bouches for the mind, if you like. How I would have loved to have written out in detail each tale there is to be told, but then this book would have been too heavy to lift."

Let Sandi Toksvig guide you on an eclectic meander through the calendar, illuminating neglected corners of history to tell tales of the fascinating figures you didn't learn about at school. From revolutionary women to serial killers, pirate nuns to pioneering civil rights activists, doctors to dancing girls, artists to astronauts, these pages commemorate women from all around the world who were pushed to the margins of historical record.

Tina C. - Country Music Legend

Tina C. - Country Music Legend

Pre-order. Audiobook

The collected radio shows of country music superstar and global activist Tina C., the creation of award-winning entertainer Christopher Green. From the moment her second album, No Dick's As Hard As My Life, was released, the world took notice of country music singer Tina C.. Grammy Award-winning singer, international peace icon, US presidential hopeful and poster girl for American democracy, Tina C. is the living embodiment (and what a body) of soft power. Now, in these seven sensational radio shows, she's here to recruit you to her world view. You can run, but you can't hide from Tina C....

Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith - Inside No. 9 - The Scripts: Series 1-3 Collector's Edition

Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith - Inside No. 9 - The Scripts: Series 1-3 Collector's Edition

Out now. Hardback

Re-enter the darkly comic world behind the door marked 'number 9' in this limited, collector's edition of Inside No. 9 - The Scripts: Series 1-3. Containing three beautifully designed cloth-effect hardback books, this edition is an essential purchase for diehard fans of the show, designed in close collaboration with series creators Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. The writers have signed the first book in each slipcase, and all three books feature unique endpapers inside the cover for a stunning visual continuation of their richly imagined universe. Newly-written forewords introducing each series showcase behind-the-scenes content for readers and fans. Relive your favourite moments from the show by immersing yourself in the script and stage directions, beautifully curated in this unmissable special box set.

A regular edition is also available to order.

Upright

Upright

Pre-order. DVD, Download

Tim Minchin leads this irreverent series as the ironically named Laclan "Lucky" Flynn, a down-on-his-luck middle-aged man road-tripping across Australia to deliver an old upright piano to his dying mother. In a dramatic twist of fate, his path collides with teenage runaway Meg (Milly Alcock), who has some secrets of her own.

Set against a backdrop of outback scenery, this unlikely pair throw in their lot with each other and slowly reveal, through a series of quirky happenings along the way, what each of them might be running away from, and what it is they're seeking on the road. Juggling grief and complex family dynamics with gleefully dark humour, and with the touching surrogate father-daughter relationship that develops between the duo at its heart.

For more, see our full list of new releases and items coming soon.

Comedy videos

Bill Bailey on Strictly Come Dancing

Bill Bailey on Strictly Come Dancing

For those that missed it, here's Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse impressing the Strictly Come Dancing judges at the weekend with a routine to Rappers' Delight by The Sugarhill Gang.

King Gary - Children In Need 2020

King Gary - Children In Need

A new sketch from the sitcom, shown as part of Children In Need on Friday. Gary gives an example of precisely how not to fundraise in the name of Pudsey.

Rosie Tries To Help - Single Men With Harry Hill

Rosie Tries To Help - Single Men With Harry Hill

Rosie Jones and Harry Hill try a number of techniques to help single men move past the dating apps and find true love. The men are put through their paces with a lie detector test and blind dating - but will they charm on a singles night?

Self-Help - Introduction

Self-Help

A web series about an inept self-help guru and her PA. All nine episodes are on BCG now.

The Art of Satire: A Masterclass

The Art of Satire: A Masterclass

Oliver Izod says: "I'm really excited to share my new Masterclass with you all: The Art Of Satire. Jam packed with insider secrets as well as the premiere of my new parody song Everything's Coming Up Rona's."

Taskmaster - Outtake

Taskmaster - Outtake

A clip not shown on television, in which Greg Davies discovers that one of the contestant did a "terrified little trump" during a task...

Spotlight

Angelo's

Angelo's

We bet few readers will remember this 2007 sitcom, despite the fact it was written by and co-starred Sharon Horgan, and was produced by Inbetweeners creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. Featuring Steve Brody in the title role, it followed life in a small café just off Trafalgar Square, whose regular customers were played by the likes of Simon Farnaby, Miranda Hart, Paul Kaye, Javone Prince and Alice Lowe, with waitress Shelley Longworth. Made for Channel 5 and Paramount Comedy, the six-part series passed by without much of a trace - but if the cast list has rightly piqued your interest, a DVD is available.

Thanks for reading

Rob Smyth won the BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition, in which people had to joke about cycling:

I wanted to buy a bike from a German composer but there were no Handel bars.

Reg Varney, best remembered for sitcom On The Buses, died 12 years ago today. Have you read our Comedy Rewind article about the show?

British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk

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