'A stealth drama riding on the wheels of a sitcom'

From mother-in-law gags to existential angst, The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin by the late David Nobbs was brilliantly funny, emotional and absurd.

Pompidou and Britain's grand tradition of silent comedy

Despite the title, there's something very British about Pompidou, Matt Lucas's new silent comedy series. Because, while we tend to associate silent comedy with either early American cinema or French mime artists of any era, the UK has a noble tradition of non-verbal comedy. Which is hardly surprising, given that two of its greatest innovators - Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel - were both English (the French are welcome to claim all the credit for mime).

In the 1990s, I used to do a Sunday afternoon show on the late, lamented GLR (now BBC London). There would only be one person on the premises when I turned up and this was a tall, intense cove who unfailingly enquired whether I planned to play anything by the Pixies. This, I discovered, was Chris Morris, laying the foundations of a broadcasting career which would see him repeatedly fired by the very people who are now gathering to celebrate his contribution to British humour in special seasons on Radio 4 Extra and programmes such as Raw Meat Radio (Saturday, 7pm, Radio 4 Extra). The latter features collaborators, admirers and occasional firers such as Armando Iannucci, David Quantick and Matthew Bannister. There's also a repeat of his Radio 1 series Blue Jam on 4Extra at 11pm on Friday. Incidentally, if the powers that be wish to know how they can reproduce the circumstances in which Chris Morris did a lot of his best stuff, they might care to note that he was paid next to no money, given no help, and left the hell alone. I fear there's very little of that in today's BBC.

Where stand-up is falling down

Endless safe panel shows have co-opted a once subversive art form. Get back on that stage.

Frank Sidebottom: enduring oddball

Chris Sievey's alter ego with the papier-maché head has inspired an upcoming film - not bad for a one-off character designed to promote a videogame, says David Quantick.

Tommy Cooper: genius or fool?

Thirty years after his death, David Quantick pays tribute to an unlikely comedy god.

The past isn't always an unfunny country

As former Monty Python Michael Palin now admits, not all comedy ages well, but the best humour will endure.

The modern BBC according to W1A

W1A, the highly anticipated follow up to Olympics comedy Twenty Twelve, spoofs the BBC. How right did they get it, wonders BBC insider David Quantick.

Feel-good humour for when we're feeling bad

Why are we cuddling our comedy shows instead of laughing cynically at the ruin of others? The clue, I think, lies in the grim times we inhabit.