David Baddiel: World Cup podcasts are the best gig

Comedian David Baddiel, 46, began his career in 1990s comedy The Mary Whitehouse Experience before teaming up with Frank Skinner for the Fantasy Football TV series. He is now writing his third novel and rejoins Skinner for a series of World Cup podcasts.

Frank Skinner's reinvention as a semi-serious political commentator (he has presented Panorama specials and items on Newsnight) has been quite a success. Tonight his new humorous political debate show - essentially Question Time with jokes - makes its final stop, in Glasgow. Guests on the panel include stand-up comedian Sarah Millican, although, as usual, much of Skinner's sarcastic humour and flashes of insight will emerge from his banter with a lively studio audience. It will be intriguing to hear what all of the above have to say about the early days of the Cameron/Clegg alliance.

Baddiel & Skinner reunite for World Cup podcasts

David Baddiel and Frank Skinner are resuming their positions as the unofficial voice of football this summer for a set of World Cup podcasts.

Listen: Three Lions 2010 anthem

Russell Brand, Robbie Williams, Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds are involved in the 2010 version of World Cup anthem, Three Lions 2010.

Once he was earning millions as a top chat-show host; now Frank Skinner has made a low-key return, joining the "wry, sideways look at the news" bandwagon. Except this is nothing like, say, BBC2's awkwardly contrived The Bubble. Skinner and two guests commenting on current affairs is the quickly forgotten starting point of a meandering, not particularly opinionated chat in which the studio audience are encouraged to participate. It's relaxed, refreshing and, because it's Frank Skinner, when it's funny it's very funny.

TV Matters: Frank Skinner's Opinionated

Mark Lawson explains why Frank Skinner's loss is our gain.

Frank Skinner's TV appearances have been sporadic since he gave up his ITV1 chat show in 2005. This is the first full TV series of his comeback, a kind of comedy Question Time, with Skinner and two guest comedians discussing a topical issue before a "highly opinionated" studio audience. Something along the lines of Fantasy Football League, then, but reflecting Skinner's growing interest in politics. Each show will be recorded only shortly before transmission, but we can reveal that this first edition will feature comics Miranda Hart and Al Murray.

Russell Howard has got his Good News over on BBC3; now it's the turn of craggy-faced legend Frank Skinner to riff off the week's headlines. To shake up the theme, each show is filmed in a different part of the country, with two different comedians in tow. For tonight's promising series opener, Skinner is in London with Al Murray and Miranda Hart.

Frank Skinner finds the funny side to political debate

Topical chat on TV is all the rage at the moment. Frank Skinner tells Benji Wilson why he's adding his pennyworth.

It's comedy and charity combined, not to be confused with a comedy about charity, which would be plain wrong. Twenty-three of our funniest people (and Michael McIntyre) are at the 02 Arena in London competing to win your laughs at Britain's largest-ever live stand-up show, all in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Charity. Take your pick from Alan Carr, Noel Fielding, Catherine Tate and plenty more. If you still haven't had enough laughs for the evening, stay tuned for Frank Skinner recorded live at Birmingham's NIA. He's on the same channel at 11.05pm, so no action is required.