The top ten comedy shows in May

Previews of Eddie Pepitone, Richard Herring, The Lumberjacks, Robert Newman, Eddie Izzard, Jack Dee, Nina Conti, Brian Gittins and The Horne Section.

Arguably the most successful stand-up show on British TV has returned for its eighth series on BBC One, and not much has changed.

This opening episode featured Dara O'Briain as the headline act, mostly talking about stupid things people do in their holidays, including his own experience at trying to surf in Australia. Guest Danny Bhoy also talked a lot about Australia, as well as the problems Scotland might have if they get into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, the best act on the night for me was ventriloquist Nina Conti, who did a brilliant improvisation act which involved getting two members of the audience on stage and making them wear fake mouths which she controlled, turning the pair into life-sized dummies.

Live at the Apollo demonstrates some of the great comic talents that are out there, but once again the show still has the problems. Firstly is the length of the show. It used to be 45 minutes, now it's 30 minutes. Admittedly there are extended repeats, but for the last series they didn't appear until months later. Personally I think they should scrap the 30 minute format and just have the straight 45 minutes.

The other, bigger complaint Live at the Apollo gets is the lack of diversity among the comics chosen. The main one is the lack of women. Other than Conti the only other women appearing are Kerry Godliman and Sara Pascoe. Now given that Conti, who is both a woman and the first ventriloquist to appear on the programme, was the funniest person on in the latest episode, I think that's proof that a bigger range of performers could do wonders for it...

A stage. An audience. Three stand-up acts. TV comedy doesn't get simpler: half an hour of gags at a time of the week when that's ideal. The series returns with Dara O'Briain at the helm and his ten minutes are typically brilliant. Nobody turns an embarrassment into a golden comedy routine like Dara - in this case, his attempt to surf on Bondi Beach. After Dara comes radical ventriloquist Nina Conti, who turns two members of the audience into her dummies in an inspired piece of improv.

Nina Conti and PhoneShop's Tom Bennett join cast

Nina Conti and Tom Bennett have joined as regulars on the cast of Family Tree.

Video - Nina Conti: The ventriloquist speaks

Star ventriloquist Nina Conti escorts us into her dressing room at the Pleasance Dome as she gets ready for her nightly show, Dolly Mixtures, introduces some of her new cast of puppet characters - and tells us a dark secret about Monkey's past

Nina Conti profile

Ventriloquist Nina Conti is the daughter of actor Tom Conti. She has toured the world with her monkey puppet but says it was her childhood dream to become an actress.

Unique behind the scenes access to the BBC Fringe

Over 24 days of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe the BBC venue will be jam-packed with familiar faces from BBC TV, radio and online. Nick Grimshaw, Nina Conti, Paul Merton and Nicholas Parsons are just some of the names appearing live at the venue, not only recording shows on site but also taking people behind the scenes to explain how BBC shows are made.

My secret life: Nina Conti, ventriloquist

'I didn't talk to my teddy till I was 30'

Nina Conti interview

The ventriloquist who found her voice: Nina Conti on how her affair with a much older man gave her the confidence to go on stage.