Ben Miller interview

Hopefully it'll be another way that people can engage with the democratic process. Much as I respect Russell Brand's point of view, I'm in the opposite camp to him about voting.

Ballot Monkeys was sharp, as would befit a writing credit for Andy Hamilton, and thus trumped and trumps ITV's Newzoids so far. Again served by a great ensemble, it was hampered only by being so close not only to topicality but to truth. Stronger, Fairer, Nicer is the slogan on the Lib-Dem battle bus and a blistering Ben Miller couldn't better negate any of those adjectives. The Tory bus has Hugh Dennis as the head of something involving "delivery", although you were invited to set your watches back to 1954 as a bereft "women's spokesman" had to crane her neck against the bus-rack just to be heard past his dullard alpha shoulders. Labour? Just constantly worried about the reaction on the doorstep to happy warrior Miliband. Andy Nyman's Ukip press officer is not so much fighting Twitter storms - most of them engendered by the bus's other occupants - as engaged in a Sisyphean bout of Whack-a-Mole. If only politics could be this much fun. If only Labour hadn't sold everyone down the river. Adapted to the paradigm contiguities of a modern vibrant age. Sold everyone down the river.

In an election where the Tories, to use Lynton Crosby's terminology, keep dropping dead cats on to the table, here come the creators of Drop The Dead Donkey. As they did with their 1990s news-com, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin have written scripts with gaps, to be filled at the last minute with oven-hot satire. The action flips between various shades of panic on board the Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Ukip battle buses. A strong cast is led by Ben Miller, Sarah Hadland and the lord high chancellor of topical zingers, Hugh Dennis.

This election satire promises to be so topical, it will only be written in the hours before it's broadcast.

Wherever they aim their comedy sights, it's certainly bound to liven up what's been a distinctly laugh-free election campaign.

What we do know is the show will be written by those clever bods Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, who brought us Drop the Dead Donkey and Outnumbered. A ringing endorsement if ever there was one.

And it will star the likes of Hugh Dennis, Trevor Cooper, Sarah Hadland, Ben Miller and Hattie Morahan. So far, so good.

The trailer features the cast as confused, gormless politicians, all effectively scratching their heads and wondering what to say. So it's all looking rather authentic.

The five half-hour episodes, broadcast in the run up to the May 7 election, will intercut between the campaign buses of the four main parties - Conservative, Labour, Liberal ­Democrats and UKIP, who don't really need to be satirised.

On each bus, cameras follow the staff including analysts, interns, IT geeks, social media monitors, empathy consultants (seriously?) and even bus drivers as they deal with the latest crisis or drama. A crisis or drama that we will have only just heard about in real life.

Radio Times review

Bored and unamused by the election? Well, this new comedy from Drop the Dead Donkey and Outnumbered creators Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin may cheer you up. It takes you onto the battle buses of the Tories, Labour, Ukip and Lib Dems (the Greens appear to have been snubbed), with key scenes written and performed close to transmission. The idea is to insert highly topical material at the very last minute, something which worked so stunningly in Drop the Dead Donkey.

And with great performers like Ben Miller, Hattie Morahan and Sarah Hadland to call on and a rich collection of characters including press officers, empathy consultants, special advisers (aka "spads"), IT wizards, social media monitors, political analysts, interns and of course bus drivers, chances are this may well get your vote.

Ben Miller interview

"We're in completely virgin territory for British elections, and it's absolutely hilarious. That'' why it's such a good subject to tackle"

Radio Times review

The last time we saw Mr Bean he was bringing the house down at the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, playing one note of Chariots of Fire. Can he (alongside Ben Miller and Rebecca Front) possibly be as funny for 2015's Comic Relief?

Anyone who's anyone from the world of comedy is on BBC One for this comedy marathon. Dawn French dusts off her dog collar to become the Bishop of Dibley (despite some famous rivals); and David Walliams gets in a right kerfuffle as patronising carer Lou, who appears to have a new charge - Professor Stephen Hawking. Miranda Hart, Stephen Fry, Russell Brand and Cardinal Burns also pop by.

There are stunts, dares and the unmissable sight of Dermot O'Leary dancing his socks off (will he survive this danceathon?).

In between all this hilarity are sobering film clips reminding us what this is really all about: donating money.

Rebecca Front & Ben Miller praise 'the master' Mr Bean

"Everyone loves Mr Bean and we were all delighted to watch the master at work whilst hopefully encouraging more people to join in and donate on Red Nose Day," said Ben Miller of the classic comedy revival.