A sordid, supremely funny trudge through the pathetic lives of two destitute actors - Paul McGann's Marwood and the languidly furious Withnail (Richard E Grant) - who survive on drugs and drink in grotty Camden Town, then head unwisely for the rural idyll of Uncle Monty's (Richard Griffiths) freezing country cottage. A glory of British cinematic comedy.

Radio Times review

If you've seen Richard E. Grant being interviewed before, you'll know it's only a matter of time before the subject of breaking wind crops up. The man is obsessed. True to form, he cheerfully expounds on matters flatulent in the latest edition of this affable comedy chat show.

Joining him on the couch in the Kumars' flat of chat are actresses Emilia Fox and Caroline Quentin. The apparently rib-tickling double-meaning of Fox's surname is ground into the ground, although host Sanjeev Bhaskar does crack a decent gag at the expense of her illustrious acting dynasty: "As kids, were you, like an Indian family, forced into the family business?"

Jack Whitehall in talks to play his own father

Jack Whitehall won't need to research one future role. Bizarre's Comedian of the Year wants to play his agent dad Michael - who represented the likes of Colin Firth and Richard E. Grant - in a TV version of his book Shark Infested Waters.

Richard E. Grant & Ralph Fiennes set for Rev. cameos

BBC Two comedy, Rev., is about to receive a solid gold injection of acting talent in the shape of Richard E. Grant and Ralph Fiennes.

This is a special hour-long comedy drama about the French Revolution, written by and featuring the usually Victorian-based sketch troupe consisting of David Reed, Thom Tuck and Humphrey Ker.

However they were not the main stars of this special. These were Richard E. Grant playing the role of Robespierre, leader of the Terror; and Sally Hawkins as Marie-Therese, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The main story is an imagining of a conversation between the two that was never recorded.

The programme tells the story of the Revolution in a humorous way, although the history is very much a back drop to jokes and characters best described as daft. For example, Marie-Therese complains about the book she has been given to read while she has been in prison - an atlas so out of date that it does not include Spain. Also there are sketches featuring peasants having stone soup, because eating shoes is a luxury.

However, out of all the characters that appeared in the programme, my personal favourite was Marie-Therese's brother Louis-Charles (aka Louis XVII) who was portrayed as being rather dim and naïve. For example, he gets too excited about helping France's poor so he wants to donate all of his toys. In the end he gets a job making shoes, but gets beaten up by his master for making shoes which are too decedent.

There are other nice moments, like how the French revolutionary calendar would result in problems for Father Christmas; and also some nice quotes such as Robespierre's remark that: "You can't make a crème brûlée without burning some sugar."

It was an entertaining hour, although I would recommend that if you're looking for a comedy show which is more educational in its dealing of the French revolution, you may want to look at Mark Steel's Viva la Revolution.

Sick of living in squalor in Sixties Camden, down-on-their-luck actors Withnail (an impressively intense debut from Richard E. Grant) and Marwood (Paul McGann) decide to take an idyllic holiday in the Lake District. This superb British tragi-comedy, which has become a cult favourite, follows the two unemployables as they tackle extreme weather and Withnail's lecherous Uncle Monty (a typically imposing Richard Griffiths).

This new series sets comic voice-overs to wildlife footage. Critics may claim it's another example of lowest-common-denominator humour, in the manner of ITV1's Animals Do the Funniest Things, yet it's hard not to smile at the sight of a weight-obsessed panda and a hip hop-loving badger. The filming is provided by the BBC's Natural History Unit; the voices are those of comedians including Jason Manford (8 Out of 10 Cats) and Steve Edge (Phoenix Nights). Throughout the series various well-known people, including Stephen Fry, Richard E. Grant, Barbara Windsor and Sir Tom Jones, also lend their larynxes to the creatures featured.

The problem I have is that I don't really feel anything for these characters - and I certainly don't feel sorry for them. I just can't empathise with people who bump into Richard E. Grant and Alan Yentob - both of whom cameo here - in their daily lives, and have, as I said before, the most utterly beautiful house.

I also can't believe that they couldn't just pull a few strings with their numerous contacts and get a job instantly, if they really tried.

And then there's the problem that it's not really very funny - I didn't laugh out loud once. I know you're less inclined to do that when watching on your own, as I was, but I didn't even come out of it desperate to see the next episode. The only spark, I'm afraid, came from Elizabeth's agent and Matthew's best friend, Leon. Played by Tom Hollander, he's the archetypal media monster - strutting around the office wearing a headset and ridiculous braces - and yet somehow he's hugely likable. I think this is probably because, in a rather dull and bland world, at least he brings something different. There's nothing terrible about this comedy, I'll admit, but the problem is that there's nothing particularly special about it, either.