My favourite photograph by Alexei Sayle

Stand-up star and writer Alexei, 63, recalls carefree days and calamities with The Young Ones' Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall.

A rerun of Rik and Ade's 2003 live Bottom touring show. They were able to be considerably muckier on stage than they ever were on the TV, so gird yourself appropriately for some turbo-charged toilet humour, riotous flatulence and invasive amateur medical procedures. Ade's Eddie Hitler invents a lager that puts the user into a coma, while Richie inherits a trunk from his uncle. The plot is thin, the violence thick and unctuous.

Ade Edmondson to appear in Star Wars VIII

I've learned that British comedian Ade Edmondson -- who played Eddie in Nineties sitcom Bottom alongside the late Rik Mayall -- has bagged a part in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII after impressing director Rian Johnson.

Bottom box set review

Unfairly labelled juvenile and tasteless, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson's flatshare comedy was one of the last sitcoms to boast political insight with the power to make you laugh uncontrollably.

When almost anyone who's had their 15 minutes dies now, social media is awash with people who have never given the deceased a second thought chiming in that they'll be missed. When Rik Mayall died suddenly in June, thousands tweeted their grief.

"He was a golden youth," says Ben Elton. "He was the greatest of us all," says Alexei Sayle. "The sexy genius, Rik Mayall," says whoever wrote Simon Callow's suitably grandiose narration for this tribute programme, which does the usual run-through of all the late star's famous roles, making out that each was incredibly groundbreaking, while celebrity chums say what a great guy he was.

The thing is, with Rik Mayall, for once all of that is absolutely true. He was a bloody sexy genius. He was unique and I'm quite willing to believe he was brilliant to know. And that grief felt real: to a certain generation, at least, he was ours in a way no other entertainer could be and loved as much as any stranger could be. He never sold out, never became a sentimental, corny shadow of himself.

This tribute programme - obvious as it is, missing (totally understandably) any contributions from his family or Adrian Edmondson, but filled with wonderful early footage and photos - reminds us of just what we lost.

You may cry a wee bit. But you will definitely laugh.

Cast rehearse Neville's Island

Rehearsal photos have been released for the upcoming West End transfer of Tim Firth's comedy. Leading the cast of Angus Jackson's production are Adrian Edmondson, who is reprising his performance as Gordon from the original run in Chichester, Miles Jupp, Neil Morrissey and Robert Webb.

In many ways the antithesis of BBC2's traditional "highbrow" output, The Young Ones' anarchic approach to comedy was an instant cult hit with younger audiences. It set the tone for the age of "alternative" comedy that still dominates today. The premise - four students who live in a bedsit - was traditional, but its structure, which included fragmented and often surreal storylines, random asides, the trashing of the set and sudden cuts to hamsters singing in a fridge, was energetic, punky and pioneering. Written (mostly) by Ben Elton and starring Adrian Edmondson (Vyvyan), Rik Mayall (Rick), Nigel Planer (Neil) and Christopher Ryan (Mick) - it also featured Alexei Sayle as landlord Mr Balowski.

Since light entertainment programmes were allocated bigger budgets than sitcoms, it was decided every episode would also feature a band. These bands - which included Dexy's Midnight Runners, and Madness - would perform songs which had no relevance to the plot.

Memorable scenes include Footlights versus Scumbag College in University Challenge; Vyvyan's head being cut off and then rolling along a train track still speaking; as well as the last shot of them all toppling over a cliff in a stolen double-decker bus.

Adrian Edmondson interview

The comedian and musician on winning Celebrity MasterChef, his wife Jennifer Saunders - and breaking up Bottom.

Jim Davidson's rant at 'unfunny, smug' Ade Edmondson

Jim Davidson has launched an angry tirade against Celebrity MasterChef winner Adrian Edmondson, labelling him an 'arrogant, self-satisfied lefty' and 'the unfunniest man in the world'.