Harry Hill

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Harry Hill talks about hosting the new version of Stars in Their Eyes and his own appearance on a celebrity version as Morrissey.

Harry Hill shares his career highlights

With a television career spanning more than 20 years, comedian Harry Hill has presented some of the funniest shows on the box including his own sketch series Harry Hill's TV Burp and You've Been Framed.

Harry Hill was the perfect Professor in The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm, a gag-a-minute Heath Robinson come to life with some delightfully grown-up gags, and some delightfully childish ones, and I wished, while watching, that I was 12 years old again and able to revel in simple glees.

His pretty village, Pagwell, is impossibly representative of an England lost for decades now, and David Mitchell and Ben Miller impossibly representative of cartoon villainy, but I didn't mind in the slightest because Norman Hunter's children's books have been re-rendered as impossibly good fun. I almost used the word zany but I've got through a whole 'nother year without using it, hurrah. Oops.

For his first dramatic acting role, comic Harry Hill was desperate to play the original Nutty Professor from Norman Hunter's children stories.

Swapping his trademark ear-skimming collars for Branestawm's multiple pairs of glasses, he's the perfect fit for the role in this one-off special penned by Charlie Higson - which we predict will be the first of many.

The Fast Show's Higson, a best-selling children's author, has added some modern touches of his own that should strike a chord with a brand new TV generation raised on sonic screwdrivers.

By far the most significant is the addition of a determined young sidekick called Connie (Madeline Holliday) who is fed up with being taught useless subjects at school.

Even though Branestawm may be the worst science teacher you could imagine, I practically cheered to hear Connie say that she wanted to learn about civil engineering.

As the Professor's inventions bring chaos to the village of Great Pagwell, Hill is joined by another Fast Show stalwart, Simon Day, as Branestawm's best friend Colonel Dedshott.

David Mitchell plays his nemesis, the officious councillor Harold Haggerstone who wants to shut down Branestawm's "Inventory" and Vicki Pepperdine is his housekeeper Mrs Flittersnoop.

It's all hugely silly, but perfect family entertainment nevertheless.

A nostalgic big-brushstrokes comedy, with Harry Hill's wide-eyed stare a good fit for the manic Professor Branestawm and his hare-brained Heath Robinson-style inventions: a machine for herding cats, a robot father and - "imagine that!" - a portable telephone device. David Mitchell and Ben Miller ham it up as the panto villains trying to put a damper on things.

Harry Hill: childhood stink bombs inspired performance

The comedian reveals his childhood Christmas memories now he is a dad.

Radio Times review

There are certain RT people who have very fond memories of Norman Hunter's Professor Branestawm books from our primary school days and even after all these years we're a bit protective. But I think we're in safe hands, judging by the few clips that were available for preview. Harry Hill, a long-time master of eye-popping anarchy, actually looks the part of Hunter's bonkers, absent-minded inventor, a good-hearted buffoon who never does anything right.

Branestawm is the bane of his pretty village, Pagwell, where a buttoned-up, officious windbag of a councillor, Harold Haggerstone (David Mitchell), decides he's a menace to health and safety and wants his explosion-prone "workshop" closed down.

But of course this pettifogging bureaucrat has an ulterior motive: he wants to pave the way for evil businessman Mr Bullimore (Ben Miller) to open a munitions factory. It's deliciously old-fashioned, and could well be a lot of fun.

Professor Branestawm: a great Christmas treat

The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm is overall a triumph. Harry Hill is marvellous as the bonkers, yet lovable Professor. The show is fun, innovative and entertaining and it could easily be worth creating a series out of the strength of this special, and I for one would love to see the return of Harry in this debut role.

Harry Hill: BBC One Branestawm bags its boffin

It wasn't too much of a stretch for Harry Hill to play Professor Branestawm.