Sacha Baron Cohen is a brave man. In this insensitive, vulgar and hilarious comedy, in which he meets real Americans while in the guise of a crude Kazakh reporter, he enrages a crowd of rednecks, insults the guests at a fine dining society and stalks Pamela Anderson. It's remarkable nobody throttles him.

Mark Gatiss: the journey of a geek made good

Mark Gatiss, the brains behind TV's Sherlock and Doctor Who, is a man in demand. Michael Deacon met him.

The Apprentice: Dara O'Briain interview

Michael Deacon meets 6ft 4in comedian and physics nerd Dara O'Briain as he enters the world of The Apprentice.

Rob Brydon going straight? You must be joking!

Rob Brydon is one of Britain's darkest and most gifted comedians - so why is he hosting an entirely traditional chat show? And what, for that matter, is going on with his hair?

Last of the Summer Wine, BBC One, review

Michael Deacon reviews the last ever episode of the Last of the Summer Wine (BBC One).

Vexed, BBC Two, review

Scene: a cosy flat. On the floor is the corpse of a young woman. A female detective is already on the scene. Her male colleague arrives.

Female detective: "There's a big ginger cat somewhere. [Male detective giggles.] Did I say something funny?"

Male detective: "Sorry. [He laughs again.] It's nothing!"

Female detective: "Well, you're laughing at something! What is it?"

Male detective: "It's just that when you said 'big ginger', I thought you were gonna say 'pussy'! [Snorts deliriously.] Ginger hair, ginger cat... ginger pussy! [Guffaws at length.]"

That scene was from episode one of the new detective series Vexed (last night, BBC Two). Like many of the other scenes in this putative comedy drama, it left me pondering a deep and troubling question. Namely, am I losing my mind?

That Mitchell and Webb Look, BBC Two, review

Michael Deacon reviews the first episode in the fourth series of David Mitchell and Robert Webb's sketch show.

Bidding farewell to three men in a bathtub

The appeal of Last of the Summer Wine was its comforting predictability, says Michael Deacon.

Graham Norton: 'Susan Boyle should be Eurovision entry'

The television presenter and UK commentator of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest on the annual pop glitz-fest - and replacing Jonathan Ross.

Andy Hamilton on the secret to Outnumbered's success

Outnumbered is no ordinary family sitcom. Writer Andy Hamilton tells us the little trick that makes it so funny - and so true to life.