A nice-seeming sort of bloke, does work for charity - John Bishop epitomises the Live at the Apollo school of comedian and Christmas TV favourite. Yet, while his act - observational material about family life, male archetypes and so on - is pretty cosy stuff, there's a bite to his delivery that could cause a certain amount of discomfort on the sofa. This third variety/comedy festive show features comic support from Sarah Millican and Danny Bhoy, comic songs from Andy Askins - and a duet between Bishop and Kylie Minogue.

John Bishop appears in Highest-Paid Comedians 2015 list

John Bishop is the only UK comedian on the list, in ninth place with $8m.

Video: John Bishop talks pigs, flags and condoms

He's one of the biggest names in British comedy, and you probably know his face, but not his name. John Bishop is a charismatic Liverpudlian who went from pharmaceutical salesman to comic genius almost overnight.

John Bishop gives 4 neglected horses a new home

Four neglected horses have found a new home with comedian John Bishop. Bishop and his wife, Melanie, supported World Horse Welfare's Rehome a Horse Month by agreeing to take Dora, Amara, Indie and Mable.

John Bishop immortalised at Blackpool waxwork

John Bishop has come face to face with his own likeness today in Blackpool. The funny man from Merseyside is the latest to be immortalised in wax at Madame Tussauds.

John Bishop waxwork to be unveiled at Madame Tussauds

Scouse comedian will be immortalised in wax at Madame Tussauds Blackpool.

Radio Times review

The audience gets strangely excited by the opening act, which John Bishop tells us has been booked to redress the balance. Instead of the usual scantily clad female dancers, it's a troupe of scantily clad male dancers. As the lights are turned out by the time they're down to their underpants, the whoops and shrieks seem a little excessive.

Also on the bill are comedian Andy "I have absolutely no charisma" Askins, who turns Dido's Thank You into a dark musing on a wretched marriage, and stand-up Jason Byrne. He picks two useless volunteers to help with his rubbish magic act and turns it into a manic piece of slapstick.

The John Bishop Show - primetime comedy digs deep

If Andrew Lawrence does want to complain again he should be critical of John Bishop, not at any BBC diversity policy, positive discrimination or political correctness gone bonkers.

The John Bishop Show brings variety back

We're now half way through the series, so we can look forward to plenty more variety during the next few weeks - perhaps we should thank John Bishop, too, for spicing up our lives.

Opinion: The John Bishop Show - accidentally brilliant?

I have to say I've been impressed by The John Bishop Show. Just when you think stand-up on mainstream TV has settled into a rut with the same acts on a shiny-floored conveyor belt John Bishop has given air-time to different stand-ups who really deserve it in a weirdly appealing mash-up of seaside special variety and club comedy.