Weekly Newsletter

Monday 11th January 2021

You've narrowed down the longlists, so we start today with our highly-anticipated annual awards shortlists...

Latest comedy news

Comedy.co.uk Awards 2020 shortlist

Comedy.co.uk Awards 2020 shortlist

From the longlist of every single new broadcast comedy last year, 60 TV and radio programmes have now been shortlisted across 10 categories for the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2020. Voting is open to determine the winners - do get involved!

ITV to air unseen footage of Ronnie Corbett

ITV to air unseen footage of Ronnie Corbett

Ronnie Corbett is to be the subject of a new documentary special on ITV. Ronnie Corbett's Unseen Tapes will include previously unbroadcast footage from his home movies and photos from his family albums.

Ian Smith to record comedy documentary for Radio 4

Ian Smith to record comedy documentary for Radio 4

Comedian Ian Smith is to record a comedy documentary for Radio 4, focusing on the story of several girls who got stuck in basketball hoops in his home town of Goole.

Radio 4 comedies nominated in BBC Audio Awards 2020

Radio 4 comedies nominated in BBC Audio Awards 2020

Various Radio 4 comedies have been nominated in the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2020.

Michael Palin to publish fourth diary collection

Michael Palin to publish fourth diary collection

Michael Palin is working on a fourth volume of his best-selling diaries, covering 1999 - 2010, as well as a book about his great-uncle, who fought and died during the First World War.

Mortimer & Whitehouse launch Gone Fishing website

Mortimer & Whitehouse launch Gone Fishing website

An accompanying website for BBC Two's hit comedy-travelogue Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing has been launched.

Spamalot film to go into production

Spamalot film to go into production

A film based on the musical Monty Python's Spamalot is to be made by Paramount Pictures. Eric Idle has created a complete movie script.

Alexei Sayle to record two more Radio 4 series

Alexei Sayle to record two more Radio 4 series

Alexei Sayle is returning to Radio 4, with his Imaginary Sandwich Bar stand-up-sketch show and the adaptation of his comic stories, The Absence Of Normal.

Mr Bean animated film in development

Mr Bean animated film in development

An animated movie based on the Mr Bean character is to be made. Rowan Atkinson has said development has started on the project.

Rowan Atkinson may return as Blackadder one day

Rowan Atkinson may return as Blackadder one day

Blackadder could one day return, Rowan Atkinson has also revealed. Asked in an interview, he commented: "It's certainly not impossible."

Features

Dane Baptiste introduces Bamous

Dane Baptiste introduces Bamous

Dane Baptiste introduces Bamous, his comedy based around a mythical, ever-shifting stock index of the most prominent and up-and-coming black talent in the UK. It launches on iPlayer tomorrow.

Comedy Chronicles: Opportunity Knocked: Auditions, comedians and the BBC

Comedy Chronicles: Opportunity Knocked: Auditions, comedians and the BBC

The need to audition is a common obstacle in many a performer's career; but for comics hoping to secure BBC airtime from the 1940s onwards, they could be particularly demanding - and with little chance of success.

Press Ganged - An interview with Steven Moffat

Press Ganged - An interview with Steven Moffat

An in-depth interview with Steven Moffat. Ahead of his long-awaited return to comedy with debut play The Unfriend, we chat to the Press Gang, Joking Apart and Coupling writer about sitcom success, crafting comedy, American remakes and his plans for the future. And yes, there are questions about Doctor Who, too.

First Gig, Worst Gig: Esther Manito

First Gig, Worst Gig: Esther Manito

Now busy offstage with the No Nation podcast, Esther Manito takes us from crochet shows to Edinburgh's version of Dante's Inferno.

Speaking Up: Comedians are Fronting the Fight for Disability Equality

Speaking Up: Comedians are Fronting the Fight for Disability Equality

A feature looking at how comedians have taken centre-stage, when it comes to raising disability awareness.

British Comedy Quiz #135

British Comedy Quiz #135

Marjorie Dawes, Yakety Sax and skull badges are amongst the topics to tackle this time.

Random 8: John-Luke Roberts

Random 8: John-Luke Roberts

His first comedy album is an audio-visual feast, but what's all this about Jilly Cooper and the Dalai Lama, John-Luke Roberts?

BCG Pro

BCG Pro

Our website for comedy creatives will expand substatially in 2021 with new features and content. Head to the website to find out more about our plans.

TV listings

Mark Kermode's Secrets Of Cinema: British Comedy

Mark Kermode's Secrets Of Cinema: British Comedy

Monday 9pm, BBC Four

A documentary in which Mark Kermode examines the tropes and commonalities of British comedy films.

Staged

Staged

Monday & Tuesday 9:45pm, BBC One

Look out for some more big-name guest stars as the Zoom-based series continues. There is some fallout from how the actors have been behaving... their agent is not happy.

Bamous

Bamous

Tuesday, BBC Three

This new comedy about the nature of fame amongst the BAME community, presented by Dane Baptiste, will be available on iPlayer from tomorrow morning.

Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains

Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains

Tuesday 9pm, Comedy Central

A new panel show in which Rhod Gilbert judges which guest had the most embarrassing teenage years. First up: Jonathan Ross, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Shazia Mirza.

QI

QI

Thursday 9pm, BBC Two

Bill Bailey, Jack Carroll and Olga Koch join regular panellist Alan Davies as Sandi Toksvig asks them some questions on the theme of rogue.

8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown

8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown

Thursday 9pm, Channel 4

Katherine Ryan and Joe Lycett take on Johnny Vegas and Sean Lock in the words-and-numbers game, while would-be novelist Christopher Bliss joins Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner.

Mock The Week

Mock The Week

Thursday 9:30pm, BBC Two

The panel show returns from its Christmas break. Dara O Briain hosts as Tom Allen, Ed Byrne, Ed Gamble and Felicity Ward are amongst those set to join regular panellist Hugh Dennis.

Scot Squad

Scot Squad

Thursday 10pm, BBC Scotland

There's dancing in the streets with traffic cops PC Hugh McKirdy and PC Surjit Singh; rural police officers Charlie and Jane take out the trash; and there's a political stooshie between Sgt Karen Ann Miller and MSP Patrick Harvie.

Would I Lie To You?

Would I Lie To You?

Friday 9pm, BBC One

Snooker player Stephen Hendry, presenter Laura Whitmore and comedian-actors Chris McCausland and Maisie Adam join in the game of truth and lies.

The Last Leg

The Last Leg

Friday 9pm, Channel 4

Another topical comedy returning from its Christmas break, a new series of The Last Leg kicks off (if you'll excuse the pun) on Friday evening. There's no word yet on either where the boys will be, or who the guests are.

Not Going Out

Not Going Out

Friday 9:30pm, BBC One

To celebrate their anniversary Lee and Lucy plan a friendly night of quizzing with Toby and Anna in the pub, but the evening is derailed when the foursome splits into rival teams.

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

Friday 10:45pm, BBC One

Rob Beckett is on the show this Friday, plus Keeley Hawes - who will be talking about the new dark ITV comedy drama Finding Alice. Also: Noel Clarke, Rebel Wilson, M Night Shyamalan and Jake Bugg.

Paul Sinha's TV Showdown

Paul Sinha's TV Showdown

Saturday 10pm, ITV

Team captains Fay Ripley and Rob Beckett are joined by celebrity guests Chizzy Akudolu, Shirley Ballas, Roman Kemp and Iain Stirling to compete head-to-head and test their TV knowledge.

The new series starting on Radio 4 this week are The Infinite Monkey Cage (Monday, 4:30pm), The Unbelievable Truth (Monday, 6:30pm), Beta Female (Tuesday, 6:30pm), The Skewer (Wednesday, 11:15pm), Skeletons In The Cupboard (Friday, 11:30am) and Imran Yusuf: Relabelled (Sunday, 7:15pm). For a complete list of TV and radio broadcasts, including repeats, see our full schedule.

Shop

Life: An Idiot's Guide - The Complete Series 1-3

Life: An Idiot's Guide - The Complete Series 1-3

Pre-order. Audio Download

Stephen K Amos and the comedy circuit's best stand-ups attempt to unravel the knotty problems of life. From raising children and having a mid-life crisis, to first impressions and facing your fears, who better than a bunch of comedians to lead us through life's existential maze?

In these 17 episodes, Stephen and friends take us on a journey of self-discovery through observational comedy - with help from a live studio audience, who provide their own tips, stories and experiences. They share their unique perspectives on topics including dishonesty, technology, medicine, multiculturalism, religion and austerity, as well as helping us deal with the ultimate scary subject: mortality.

Staged - Series 1 And 2

Staged - Series 1 And 2

Pre-order. DVD

The acclaimed sitcom series tackling the theatrical world's problems during the pandemic, which is currently airing its second series.

David Tennant and Michael Sheen (playing themselves) were due to star in a production of Six Characters In Search Of An Author in the West End. The pandemic has put paid to that, but their director (Simon Evans - also playing himself) is determined not to let the opportunity pass him by. He knows how big a chance this is for him and turns his attention to cajoling his stars into rehearsing over the internet.

Includes all episodes from Series 1 & 2 of the critically acclaimed BBC One comedy.

Little Voice

Little Voice

Pre-order. DVD

World-class stars Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn and Ewan McGregor deliver acclaimed performances in an inspirational story about a painfully shy young woman and how the power of music leads her to an amazing transformation.

A hopeless introvert, "Little Voice" (Jane Horrocks) can only manage to express herself by singing in the timeless voices of Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe and others. But once her eccentric mother's (Blethyn) new boyfriend - a sleazy talent scout (Caine) - overhears Little Voice's incredible crooning, he'll do anything to drag the recluse into the spotlight and make her a star!

Cheered by critics everywhere, the Oscar-nominated film is coming back to DVD shortly.

Just A Minute - Remembering Nicholas Parsons

Just A Minute - Remembering Nicholas Parsons

Out now. Audio Download

Nicholas Parsons was the host of Just A Minute for nearly 52 years - from its first broadcast on 22nd December 1967 until his last show on 23rd September 2019, aged 96.

Celebrate his life and work with this series of documentaries, plus the complete Series 85 of Just A Minute - his final series. Included are: Nicholas Parsons: A Man Of Many Parts; Paul Merton's favourite episode of Just A Minute; and Nicholas's appearance on Desert Island Discs.

It's In The Air

It's In The Air

Pre-order. DVD, Blu-ray

It's In The Air (1939) finds everyone's favourite fool fulfilling his dream of joining the RAF - though, of course, he does it the hard way! The pre-war Ealing comedy co-stars Polly Ward, Jack Hobbs, Garry Marsh and Hal Gordon, newly remastered and restored in HD for the very first time.

Hapless George's dreams of flying are continually thwarted, and when he's even rejected for a job as an air raid warden he sneakily tries on his brother-in-law's RAF despatch rider uniform. Finding an urgent communiqué in its pockets he decides to deliver it himself... and ends up with his head in the clouds - though not in the way he'd expected!

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

Comedy videos

Politically Correctly

Video Contest Winner: Politically Correctly

Save yourself from typos and public shaming with this new writing tool especially designed for Liberal Arts students. This is the January winner of the BCG Pro Video Contest.

Bad TV Impressions: Bridgerton

Bad TV Impressions: Bridgerton

More impressions from Kieran Hodgson. This time spoofing Netflix's latest show, period drama Bridgerton.

When your friend has to cancel their bad theatre show

When your friend has to cancel their bad theatre show

Sometimes it's maybe not so bad that your friend had to cancel their fringe theatre show and so now you can't go...

The Man With His Fingers In His Ears

The Man With His Fingers In His Ears

A short film in which two journalists investigate a man who has decided to 'shut it all out'.

How the Daily Mail thinks the BBC will teach kids

How the Daily Mail thinks the BBC will teach kids

A satirical sketch in which Phil Chapman plays Carly, a TV presenter who is educating kids the way the Daily Mail thinks CBBC is now operating.

Every Single Scandinavian Crime Drama

Every Single Scandinavian Crime Drama

Alasdair Beckett-King says: "I love Nordic Noir, and this is all of them."

Is there a conspiracy against Gingers?

Is there a conspiracy against Gingers?

One woman's belief that there's a global conspiracy against gingers could just change the way you see the world.

Spotlight

Solo

Solo

Starring The Good Life legend Felicity Kendal, Solo - written by Carla Lane - marks its 40th anniversary today. Running for two series in the early 80s, the sitcom follows Gemma Palmer as she attempts to make a fresh start and resolves to a life without men, after discovering boyfriend Danny had slept with one of her best friends. Unfortunately, the single life proves trickier than she'd hoped: not least because she is, despite everything, still hopelessly, desperately in love with Danny. Stephen Moore and Elspet Gray co-star, and the series is available to own on DVD.

Thanks for reading

Jaye Nolan has won the latest BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition, which asked for a topical joke:

I'd have written a gag about Trump but all I could think was 'orange' and that's such low hanging topical fruit.

That's it for this week. Don't forget to vote in our awards.

British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk

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