Interview: Comedian Andy Parsons - First and last

The Mock The Week regular on The Jam, Jagermeister and Chinese antiques,

The topical comedy panel quiz returns after its summer break. Joining host Dara O Briain and regulars Hugh Dennis, Andy Parsons and Chris Addison are guests Greg Davies, Andi Osho and Stewart Francis - the laconic Canadian one-liner specialist who won the award for best joke at this year'' Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his gag about Posh and Becks giving children a bad name.

Now one of TV's more enduring topical comedy shows - thanks to its high turnover of original comedy voices and a keen eye for spotting upcoming talent - the satirical news quiz returns for an eleventh season. As always, Dara O'Briain keeps a loose grip on the organised chaos as, tonight, team captains Hugh Dennis and Andy Parsons are joined by Nathan Caton, Chris Addison, Micky Flanagan and Greg Davies.

Mock The Week's Andy Parsons takes on hosting duties tonight.

Don't worry about the first two or three minutes, when you might think he's having a bit of an off-day - he's on fire for the rest of his set, covering everything from the war in Afghanistan to how to deal with cats who use your garden as a toilet (before people call the RSPCA on me, while I find his idea funny, I wouldn't actually use it myself!).

His first act is the brilliant Andrew Lawrence, the self-confessed scary-faced comic who has been popping up on various panel shows this year.

I first saw Andrew a few years ago at a comedy club when he was a relative newbie to the circuit, and he was so funny he stole the show from the other, more experienced comics.

So it's lovely seeing him get this prime time platform (and, in my view, steal the show again, which is really going some considering his stage mates). Completing the comedy line-up is king of the one-liners Milton Jones... he of the messy hair, vacant stare and psychedelic shirt.

Combined, the three comedians give you a reason to stay in. Although with BBC iPlayer and its clones, not to mention magic set-top boxes that record entire series at the touch of a button, who revolves their lives around watching TV these days?

Oh yeah... that's right, I do. Doh!

The acts may be hit and miss but stand-up comedy is still enough of a draw to keep the ratings up for the seventh series of this comedy showcase recorded at London's Hammersmith Apollo. Tonight's host Andy Parsons, the bald-domed star of Mock the Week, will be joined by Andrew Lawrence for a large helping of innocuous observational comedy, while panel show regular Milton Jones will offer up a portion of silly, but entertaining one-liners.

Andy Parsons interview

"Nerves are never logical. It's usually how you're feeling on the day, how your tea has gone down," explains Andy Parsons, a seemingly serene comedian, at least above the water.

Andy Parsons: 'Some comedians don't like MTW edit'

Andy Parsons has admitted that some comedians are unhappy with the editing on Mock The Week.

Andy Parsons interview

Frankie Boyle may have shuffled off to more controversial waters on Channel 4, but the Mock the Week ship sails on. Helmed by Dara O'Briain, it still features Spitting Image veteran Andy Parsons as a key member of the crew.

This topical panel show can always be guaranteed to provide a few belly laughs.

And unlike Have I Got News for You, it doesn't matter if you've been hiding under a rock for the past week and haven't got a clue what's been going on in the world.

The topical bit is used loosely. Instead it's more an excuse for stand-up comedians to show their wares, with Dara O Briain at the helm.

Joining show regulars Hugh Dennis, Andy Parsons and Chris Addison is my own personal favourite stand-up, Micky Flanagan, up-and-coming comic Nathan Caton and Canada's king of the one-liners Stewart Francis (if you love your comedy, you'll recognise him from an episode of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow - he was the guy who opened with: "Don't worry, I haven't heard of you either").

Considering the show's format, which is just made for killer one-liners, tonight's episode promises to be even funnier than normal.

There was a time when Mock the Week felt like Have I Got News for You's spikier younger brother. Its brow was low. Its comedy jeans hung at half-mast. In any given show you could be sure of jokes involving sex, drugs and royalty (or if Frankie Boyle was involved, all three at once). But Boyle has moved on and, for the time being, so has fellow stalwart Russell Howard, and the comedy in this topical panel show feels more comfortable and less subversive these days. As the tenth series begins, Dara O'Briain is still keeping order, with Andy Parsons and Outnumbered star Hugh Dennis as the key comics, ready to step forward and attempt to outgun each other on any given topic. Tonight they are joined by the smart and funny Chris Addison (from The Thick of It) and Greg Davies (Mr Gilbert from The Inbetweeners).