Hugh Dennis on being an idiot around Hugh Laurie

He'd have a puppet play him in a movie and get Alastair McGowan to do his voice - if only he could stay cool in front of the other Hugh...

Hugh Laurie interview

His role in House made him the highest-paid actor ever in a TV drama, but with a new album out this week Hugh Laurie is keen to follow his real love - music.

Hugh Laurie: Playing House was a nightmare

Hugh Laurie has told how starring in US medical drama House turned into a 'nightmare' despite him being the best-paid actor on TV.

This three-part documentary series, narrated by journalist Eddie Mair, looks at the 'darker', money-making side of the comedy world.

The first episode looks at how many comics, in particular stand-ups, make money by performing at corporates. It shows performances from The Real Variety Show where comics play in front of business people keen on booking them for events.

Then it follows the world of adverts, discussing comics like Mark Arden and Stephen Frost (who did ads for Carling Black Label) to QI creator John Lloyd (who first met Alan Davies when Lloyd directed ads for Abbey National.) I know there's a history of comics doing adverts - despite the public outrage at Mark Watson a few years back - but I was suprised at the frequency of appearances. Most of the ads were produced 'before my time' as it were, so were quite shocking in a way. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie advertising tobacco?

It's definitely a growing trend, though; if you're feeling bored, you can play a little game where you try to spot how many times in a three-minute period you can hear the voice of Hugh Dennis.

Off all the people on Funny Business, though, the most interesting was Rhod Gilbert. Rhod explained how one corporate gig resulted in him sacking them off altogether, and how he justified doing adverts for the Welsh tourist board because he was promoting a country rather than a product. There were also interesting contributions from Mark Thomas, who attacked just about any involvement of comedians and advertising. The only advertising I can think that he has been involved in was with early episodes of The Mark Thomas Comedy Product, which were sponsored by small independent shops - like a gentlemen's hairdressers and a record shop.

Funny Business declares that the problem with advertising is that there's no funny ads. I can't help but think the problem's that there are ads to start with.

With their grand houses and period settings, it's a wonder PG Wodehouse's work hasn't been plundered by television more often. Clive Exton's exuberant Nineties adaptations of Jeeves and Wooster, starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, were highly successful, but there has been nothing since. However, judging by the iffy first episode of this new six-part series, based on the Blandings Castle stories and reworked by Guy Andrews, it seems that Wodehouse's precise comic world is pretty hard to pull off.

The problem lies not with the cast, which is certainly top-notch. Timothy Spall plays bumbling Lord Clarence Emsworth, more interested in pigs than people. Jennifer Saunders delights as his battleaxe sister Connie. And there's good work from Jack Farthing as Clarence's hapless son Freddie, and Mark Williams as Beach, the butler. But the episode can't quite sustain the necessary brio and the bonhomie eventually wears thin. Tonight's tale involves Clarence's rivalry with neighbour Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe (Robert Bathurst) over a Fattest Pig competition and Connie's attempt to prevent niece Angela (Alice Orr-Ewing) from an unsuitable marriage.

Hugh Laurie's American odyssey continues

His role as Dr House made the British actor a US star. Next up, the most famous pirate of them all - with an English accent.

Emmy winner Damian Lewis, the English actor with the most successful American accent since Hugh Laurie in House, is on the Ross sofa. Lewis is in demand after the role that lifted him to stardom, terrorist-in-the-making Nicholas Brody in Homeland. Maybe he can be tempted to demonstrate some Gangnam Style with fellow guest, South Korean rapper Psy, whose much parodied tune and silly dance have swept the globe.

Hugh Laurie won't be in the RoboCop reboot

Dr House will not be doing battle with RoboCop after all...

Hugh Laurie in talks to play RoboCop villain

The British actor's career trajectory is upwards - and more evil.

Hugh Laurie cannot get rid of his fake limp

Hugh Laurie has admitted it is impossible to leave his limp behind after eight series of playing grumpy Dr Gregory House.