Nick Helm

Edinburgh preview: Holly Burn

There have been a lot of male performers in recent years who have excelled at immersive, madcap lunacy. Adam Riches, Nick Helm and Dr Brown spring immediately to mind. But this is a type of comedy that women seem less drawn to, though I sense that that might be changing.

Nick Helm interview

Nick Helm is an actor, singer, musician and comedian, who plies his various skills regularly on television and on stage.

The Nick Helm extended interview

Nick Helm is an actor, singer, musician and comedian, who plies his various skills regularly on television and on stage. Broadway Baby Stand-Up Comedy Editor, Martin Walker tries to conduct an interview whilst behaving like a fan boy idiot.

Like Nick Helm's BBC3 comedy Uncle, this period sitcom from Sky Atlantic begins with a botched suicide attempt, but (as with Uncle) the tone lightens significantly from there. Nick Frost plays the titular Sloane, a man out of time in a swinging 60s, separated from his wife and out of work, but ploughing on regardless. Created by Curb Your Enthusiasm alum Robert B Weide, it boasts a supporting cast including Peter Serafinowicz and Olivia Colman.

Machynlleth Comedy Festival 2014: Our picks

Previews of Elis James, Benjamin Partridge, Lloyd Langford, Mike Bubbins, Jordan Brookes, Arthur Smith, Aisling Bea, Robin Ince, Richard Herring and Nick Helm.

If you've been enjoying stand-up comedian Nick Helm's BBC3 sitcom Uncle, you'll be unsurprised to discover he was up to no good. There's only one more episode to go of this first, six-part series and while Andy (Helm) has formed a closer bond with his nephew Errol (Elliot Speller-Gillott), he's still, pleasingly, a truly despicable role model for the kids.

That was proved yet again this week as Andy juggled the affections of three women in a typically craven fashion: current fling Shelly, ex-girlfriend Gwen and Errol's music teacher Melodie. Andy's behaviour was so shabby, he even had to defend himself to an 11-year-old: "What are you? The girlfriend police? I can have as many girlfriends as I want!"

Meanwhile, Andy's sister, Sam was attempting to trade in her reliable but dull AA sponsor, for the übercool Susie, a former Mick Jagger groupie. Susie turned out to be yet another useless role model, but if Sam's after a genuine rock idol to hero-worship I have a much better suggestion: Viv Albertine from the Slits.

Uncle on BBC Three (you pretty much have to go beyond two for a BBC laugh now, House of Fools being the exception). Uncle also celebrates generational differences and misunderstandings, but much more joyously. The uncle (played by Nick Helm) is disastrous but weirdly likable; the kid is nerdy and lovely. They have adventures, it's more outrageous, bolder, more inappropriate, darker, quirkier (there's singing). And - crucially - funny. Which Outnumbered isn't. Maybe once I chuckled to myself, when Pete and his elder son were accusing each other of being racist. That's it, though. And yet it's adored by literally every other critic and it's won a ton of awards. They're wrong though and I'm right.

Nick Helm interview

Nick Helm talks about dealing with "all sorts of fucking people" and making them laugh.

South Bank Awards for Bridget Christie & Nick Helm

2013 Foster's Award Winner Bridget Christie and Nick Helm have been victorious today at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards.