Greatest TV shows to watch now - the British comedies

20 great British comedies available on demand, from Peep Show and The Thick of It to Fawlty Towers.

Ricky Gervais: I always aim to polarise people

The Derek and Night at the Museum star says, "for everyone who thinks my face brings joy, someone wants to punch the television, and I think that's an important thing"

Andrew Marr: The Thick of It? It wasn't extreme enough.

The BBC satire featuring Peter Capaldi's notoriously foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker was actually a "slightly sanitised" version of what really went on in 10 Downing Street, says Marr.

Parsons: If I was on autopilot that show would be dead

Nicholas Parsons says that Just A Minute would have died long ago if he didn't keep "fresh as a daisy".

Jimmy Carr returns to host the entertainment where consonant-cussing and vowel-fouling are positively encouraged. What by rights should have been a diverting one-off is now arguably more successful than the Cats original.

The show works because the Countdown format is nigh-on impregnable, while there's nobody more competitive than a stand-up comic (no matter how dodgy their numeracy skills). Guests Kevin Bridges, Rhod Gilbert and Josie Long take on the brainteasers with regular captains Sean Lock and Jon Richardson, while Rachel Riley prepares for teasing of a different kind.

Poor Jon Richardson. Tonight's guest comic is given the chance of a lifetime: to take a rugby conversion at Twickenham Stadium in front of a capacity crowd. It's a typically blockbuster challenge for this sports entertainment quiz - if only Jon's kicking skills were of the same level. Three disastrous attempts later and the dream has turned into a nightmare, with the Six Nations crowd and host James Corden mercilessly jeering his spindly efforts.

Man City footballer Joleon Lescott is also in the studio. Fair play to the England defender for taking part; shame that when encouraged to get involved by Corden and Jack Whitehall, his quick wit is found seriously wanting.

In what must have been a slow week for the writers, tonight's show seems geared up simply to make regular panellist Jack Whitehall look as weedy as possible. Donning a skimpy training vest, he takes on ripped England rugby international Chris Ashton in a Strongest Man contest, hauling a three-and-a-half-ton truck while being goaded by the obscenely bulky British strongman Jay "Hollywood£ Hughes.

Thankfully, guest Richard Ayoade from The IT Crowd is ready to strike a blow for the physically deficient. "What do you want to know, big man?" asks pundit Jamie Redknapp. "I am neither big... nor a man," replies Ayoade, fantastically puncturing try-hard Jamie's laddish exuberance. Speaking of silly boys, let's get to the bottom of why Ashton thought "dwarf tossing" in the 2011 World Cup was a good idea.

Who knew that gruff football gaffer Sam Allardyce was a fan of Strictly Come Dancing? When the West Ham manager reveals a weakness for the dancing show, fellow guest David Walliams takes him for a spin on the dance floor. The resulting intimate waltz is characteristic of the show: trying to hype up the macho banter but inevitably ending in back-slapping bawdiness. "I can see why they call him Big Sam!" Walliams coos.

In another playful TV rip-off, series regulars have their very own MasterChef challenge. Freddie Flintoff serves a surprisingly bistro-style fish and chips; Jamie Redknapp goes retro with a pineapple upside-down cake; host James Corden cooks an ambitious beef Wellington ("basically a big pasty," laughs Flintoff); and Jack Whitehall hacks at a pheasant carcass.

The flashy sports quiz show has pulled off a serious coup this week: One Direction are in the studio. Well, three of the perky quintet at any rate. Niall and Louis enjoyed themselves immensely. Harry Styles seemed less impressed by the Freddie Flintoff-led ribbing.

The much-publicised scene of Niall getting a "tattoo" of James Corden's face on his bottom shows the level of changing-room humour we're dealing with - but Corden keeps it sweet with the genuine affection he displays for the show. The highlight of the night sees Spandau Ballet leading man Tony Hadley take part in a penalty shootout against Harry in goal. Did the young starlet ever consider this ageing pop star could be a vision of his future?

When are we going to call time on the panel-game format? Trawling through classic British sitcom clips and listening to Jo Brand, Rebbeca Front, Barry Cryer and this week's guest Tim Brooke-Taylor shooting the breeze is a jolly concept in itself; do we really have to pretend it's a quiz? Cryer and Brooke-Taylor should have spotted the danger given they've been playing "the antidote to panel games" since 1972 on Radio 4.

Dad's Army's Ian Lavender and dinnerladies' Anne Reid provide a vintage tint of comic triumphs past, but if this generation's trapped in squidgy sofas playing for points, who's going to be free to make the future comedy classics?