Jimmy Carr

Reviewing this programme's a bit of a problem because it's been in the newspapers all week, so it's hard to try and think about something new.

For those who might have been living in a cave since the year began, on this year's edition of the two-hour long panel game hosted by Jimmy Carr (cue jokes about him tax dodging), one team, consisting of Jack Whitehall and James Corden, supposedly got into trouble after drinking some wine on the set, getting tipsy, writing a random phone number on the screen which lead to people phoning some random member of the public, and making some rude jokes about the Queen which I'm not going to repeat. If you want to know what they are, watch the programme on 4oD and see it in context.

Concerning the phone number, it should be obvious that if you write just about any sequence of numbers down it will be someone's actual phone number and some idiots will ring it up. That was a bit stupid, and Channel 4 could have made an effort to do something about it. You know, like blur it out.

To be honest, though, I've no objection to the jokes about the Queen. Everyone knows that the Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells and Daily Mail brigades would get up on their high horses because, frankly, they enjoy draining the passion out of anything that isn't a repeat of Last of the Summer Wine - while at the same time complaining that they're too many repeats on TV. Since the "outrage" that the Mail has failed to stir up in the same way as it did with "Sachsgate", people have been fighting back in their own way, generally annoying the rag.

But I suppose the main reason why I personally didn't mind the jokes about the Queen is that over the past few years I've become sick of all the royal events on the box. First there was William and Kate getting married, then the Diamond Jubilee, now there's going to be a baby, and you just know the TV channels are going to give months and months of tedious analysis about the whole thing.

I've just got this nightmare vision in my head of Nicholas Witchell and his camera-crew trying to bribe a midwife so that they could get the BBC live exclusive access to the birth from the Duchess of Cambridge's private maternity unit, in which he will try to talk for about 18 hours straight with experts, while a camera will film Kate's most private parts constantly as they wait for the baby's head to come out the royal CENSORED.

Other than that however, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year was mostly enjoyable, except for some tedious reality TV guests - and the lacklustre Jonathan Ross. Shame Whitehall and Corden didn't try to get him drunk.

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Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz Of The Year. It wasn't just the controversial jokes about the Queen and the boozy antics of those contestants who appeared to be taking part in a Big Fat Ego Of The Year side contest.

No, the biggest shock was that in a line-up that contained Gabby Logan and six men who are (over)paid to be amusing for a living, Logan ended up being the third funniest.

As for Jimmy Carr's question, 'What does YOLO stand for?' Dunno, Jim. But in your case I'm guessing it's You Owe Lots Of...

Last year's specstacular saw Alan do impressions taking the mickey out of easy targets Cher Lloyd, the Beckhams and Wills and Kate.

This year he'll be getting up to more festive fooling around, party games and sketches with the help of his guest mates.

Former Radio 2 pal Melanie Sykes, Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Christine Bleakley, Gok Wan and Bruno Mars join in the New Year fun.

Then there's Rylan Clark - one of the few guests who can make Alan look butch by comparison.

The line-up might not be as A-list as Graham Norton's, but this is exactly the kind of party you'd want to be invited to.

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Effusive chat fountain Alan Carr invites the famous, including Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Rylan Clark and Bruno Mars, to his NYE celebration. Of all the staying-in options, this one sounds the most festive thing to have on in the background while you're working your way through bulk quantities of prosecco and peanuts. Then at ten to midnight Channel 4 turns itself into a nightclub. Charlie Sloth hosts six hours of DJ sets and shout-outs for the young and vigorous who are having house parties up and down the land.

Jimmy Carr 'taunted by builders' over tax affairs

The girlfriend of Jimmy Carr lodged a complaint with a school after builders working there taunted the comedian over his tax affairs.

I'm sure BBC2 has its reasons for burying Harry And Paul at 10pm on a Sunday night. But if Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse can keep up the opening episode's 70 per cent strike rate, I'm definitely in.

Their Question Time skit was spot on, especially the bit about the panel often including a 'comedian who wants to be taken seriously'. I'm presuming it was a reference to the likes of Steve Coogan and Jimmy Carr, but let's face it: the description could also apply to any number of MPs these days.

Season 14 of the shouty 8 Out Of 10 Cats, which in the panel show stakes sits somewhere between the enjoyable Would I Lie To You and the creaky Mock the Week. Jimmy Carr - still in the quizmaster's seat - has a newly installed target on his back marked "tax avoider", and team captains Sean Lock and Jon Richardson will likely be the ones taking aim. Nothing in the way of info about this opening episode, but even money says that an Olympian will be present.

This deliciously funny series returns with chief curator John Lloyd (producer of Not the Nine O'Clock News, Spitting Image and QI), ably assisted by Jimmy Carr. The duo ask guests including Al Murray to donate objects of curiosity, with laugh-out-loud comedic effect guaranteed.