Comedians urge Essex smokers to swap fags for gags

Public Health England is encouraging smokers in Essex to swap their fags for gags to help them quit for good this October. Top British comedians including Paddy McGuinness, Al Murray, Simon Brodkin (aka Lee Nelson) and Andi Osho will this year bring a touch of the British sense of humour to help quitters through this difficult and daunting challenge.

Lee Mack does his bit to fill the chronic shortage of panel shows with this new series, in which obscure facts are put to the test before celebrities. Tonight, it's Stephen Mangan, Davina McCall and, of course, Paddy McGuinness. Some cheap gags aside - early round "Fact Off" sees the resemblance between fact and another word starting with f pointed out - this is a pretty entertaining concept, exploring, among other issues, methods of blocking tickles and why men's mental skills go to pot after meeting attractive women.

Back at the O2 for the fifth year on the trot, the country's finest gag merchants congregate to shake a tin in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital's prospective new operating theatre. Among the assembled funny people here are Lee Evans, Jack Dee, Alan Carr, Paddy McGuinness, Warwick Davis and Derek's Kerry Godliman. It's three hours long, but worth keeping half an eye on the commercial breaks, traditionally a place for Alan Carr to pop up with some lightly mirthful advert hijacks.

Paddy McGuinness admits he could retire

Paddy McGuinness may have only been a new dad of twins for three months but he's already thinking about hanging up his witty one liners to retire.

That Puppet Game Show (BBC1, Saturday) is yet another attempt to crack the Saturday evening family entertainment nut. That's Puppet, with a P, not with an M, though you could easily be mistaken; they share about 99% of their DNA with Kermit and co, and were made by the same company. But instead of a frog, this show is hosted by Dougie, a big-chinned fella with a hint of both Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness about him. And it's a game show. Two actual flesh'n'bone slebs (Jonathan Ross and Kathryn Jenkins, in the opener) compete against each other to win money for charidee.

Some of the games don't really work. Saucissong, for example - in which contestants have to remember which singing Scottish hotdog sang which bit of 500 Miles by the Proclaimers - quickly gets tedious. More about the name than the game, I'd say. Life's a Speech is better. It does all feel very 1987, but it's warm, funny at times, and the guests (so far) are game. It should become more interesting once you get to know the puppets' personalities a bit better. So far my favourite is an alcoholic armadillo called Ian.

Dance sensation Diversity puts a spring in the steps of Chatty Man Alan Carr, national charmer Miranda Hart and Idiot Abroad Warwick Davis, who've rashly decided to shake a leg - Ashley Banjo-style - as their contribution to this evening of fundraising action for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity for children. Other funny faces putting their happy feet forward for the cause include comedian Kevin Bridges, who takes a pop at the more furtive pursuits of his fellow Scots, and TV regulars Russell Brand, Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Rich Hall and Paddy McGuinness. Among those putting in an appearance on VT are surreal loon Noel Fielding and Jack Whitehall.

One-off comedy by Caroline Aherne and Jeff Pope about four lazy security guards who fail to thwart a jewellery robbery at their shopping centre because they are watching a boxing match on TV, and are forced to conceive a scheme to save their jobs. Bobby Ball and Mrs Brown's Boys star Brendan O'Carroll are two of the guards, and the copper sent to investigate the heist is Paddy McGuinness. If you're still reading this you're either really looking forward to it or unable to turn the page because of the ennui.

This one-off comedy written by Caroline Aherne and Jeff Pope (who also wrote The Fattest Man In Britain together) was filmed way back in 2011. But, although anything that bears Aherne's name is usually worth seeking out, this isn't going to set the world alight.

In fact, one of the main reasons for tuning in is to see Brendan O'Carroll in uniform instead of the Mrs Brown drag that has made him a superstar.

The show also stars Peter Wight, Dean Andrews and Bobby Ball as his fellow security guards in a Salford shopping mall.

Gentle, old-fashioned and predictable, Take Me Out presenter Paddy McGuinness also pops up as a copper after the slack security men have to cope with an actual robbery.

Any excuse for a Specstacular with Carr: now he's going all horse-themed for the Grand National. There's a tasty spread of guests, including Paddy McGuinness, Jonathan Ross and Kimberley Walsh, plus a look at Alan's day at the races with Russell Brand. Equine fun and games are promised, so let's hope the affable host manages to cajole a pair of guests into a pantomime horse costume. Surely X Factorists Louis Walsh and Rylan would be game for a laugh?