Why comedians such as Michael McIntyre have conquered

Comedians are plastered everywhere this Christmas, but not in the usual way. They are on the side of buses, on billboards and on the covers of DVDs, in the spaces traditionally reserved for film stars and rock musicians.

Booming sales of live comedy DVDs lift ailing market

Over 2.26m live comedy discs were sold in 2009, with Michael McIntyre and Eddie Izzard among best sellers.

Five Minutes With: Michael McIntyre

This week, comedian Michael McIntyre talks to Matt about where he gets his inspiration, the difficulty of making his wife laugh, and how much of his success is down to his hair.

Bafta-nominated comedy-fest, Live At The Apollo, returns for a fifth series and it opens with a bang. Northern funny man Jason Manford hosts with special guest, 2009's comedy sensation, Michael McIntyre.

McIntyre's most recent telly series Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow pulled in a huge five million viewers a night and it's easy to see why. He has an astonishing talent for turning the humdrum into the hilarious, with a laser-sharp eye for everyday silliness.

There aren't many people, even comedians, who could have you weeping with laughter over hoovering techniques, the charade of ordering restaurant wine or the contents of your spice rack. And you'll never watch a snooker game in quite the same way again. It's an added plus, in this cynical day and age, that his humour is also entirely humane.

Manford copes gamely with his man-of-the-moment guest and provides plenty of laughs to match.

My one complaint - what possessed the people in suits to cut the show to a mere half hour? Still, well worth watching. Even if you haven't had a rubbish week, it'll cheer you up no end.

Michael McIntyre, eh? He does a lot of observing, doesn't he? And he's quite pleased with himself, isn't he? You know when you go to France and see posters for stand-up comedy and they look like clowns? That's what his pictures look like. He exudes over-the-top ludicrousness. So much so, some people might find it irksome. Still, he's very popular. Partly because he's benefited from the huge ratings of Live At The Apollo, which gives stand-ups longer to build routines rather than spit out one-liners in bearpits like Mock The Week. Anyhow, the reason to watch this is host Jason Manford, one of our favourite comics, a lovely, sensible man when you meet him, who has exceptional taste. He's going to give up stand-up to start writing soon, so catch him while you can.

Michael McIntyre on his 10 year slog to the top

"I've always felt deep down that I was going to be best on a big stage," says comedian Michael McIntyre.

"But obviously you can't start there. You can't just say 'I want to be a comedian, book Wembley.'"

Michael McIntyre on the moment his life change

Comedian Michael McIntyre only recently joined the ranks of the mortgaged-to-the-eyeballs, but he is already fretting about the chances of his house falling down.

Will the real Michael McIntyre please stand up?

From out of nowhere, he became Britain's biggest comedy star. But who is Michael McIntyre? And what exactly does he want?

Michael McIntyre: a comedian for the Cameron age

Love him, loathe him, have genuinely violent feelings towards him, you just can't ignore Michael McIntyre. He only made his television debut in 2006, but three years later he is the face of live comedy in the UK as host of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.