Pretty soon, it seems, the only primetime programmes on ITV1 will be talent shows, celebrity challenges and soaps, with occasional dramas and news bulletins grudgingly thrown in to keep the regulators happy. This latest X Factor wannabe focuses on comedy, with host Jason Manford - no mean comedian himself - going out on the road with a gaggle (or should that be a giggle?) of ambitious stand-ups who feel certain they could be the next big thing in British comedy. From fresh-faced newbies to never-quite-made-it pros, the top 10 contestants have their ability to get audiences rolling in the aisles put to the test over six weeks, in which they tour the country to perform for a variety of tough crowds (hospital patients, squaddies, secondary school pupils and rugby players, among others). They'll also take on a range of other mirth-inducing challenges, each episode culminating with the judges - regulars Alan Davies and comedy critic Kate Copstick, plus guests including such well-known comics as Jo Brand, Johnny Vegas and Ross Noble - deciding who's made the cut. The final is a live show at the Hammersmith Apollo for a prize that's certainly not to be laughed at: £100,000 cash, a nationwide tour and a DVD.

Tonight, the contestants are in Liverpool, where they'll perform a gig in front of an all-female audience; the guest judge is Liverpudlian Jimmy Tarbuck.

Ross Noble's Twitter tour of Britain

On his latest tour, the comedian put himself in the hands of his Twitter followers, who led him to tiny pubs, top pies, and an encounter with a very famous dog.

Video: Ross Noble on Newcastle's People's Theatre

Comedian Ross Noble talks about his memories of being at the People's Theatre in Newcastle.

Ross Noble's Strangest Moments

For most of us, encountering the surreal normally involves turning on the TV around 8pm on a Saturday night and watching The X-Factor. For comedian Ross Noble, however, life is forever throwing the bizarre at him. To celebrate the release of his new DVD, Ross Noble's Things we sat down with the funny man to find out his five strangest moments.

Video - Ross Noble: charming the brown snake

Stand-up comedian Ross Noble explains how he copes with the dangers of the wild in Australia.

Ross Noble: on touring

Ross Noble talks about losing his voice for a month, why Sheffield has scored highly on his tour so far, and how improvising has become second-nature.

To mark the 40th anniversary of The Goodies' television debut, Ross Noble chats to Bill Oddie, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden about giant cats, trandems and rampaging Dougals. Along the way we learn of the trio's superstar status in Australia and how Weymouth was able to double for the North Pole and the Moon, plus reminiscences of doing the funky gibbon on Top of the Pops. All three performers prove to be expansive interviewees, even going so far as to discuss any regrets about blacking up for certain sketches and how they felt about comedy competitors Monty Python's Flying Circus. Guest stars Patrick Moore and Michael Aspel also offer anecdotes, the former recalling his turn as a punk and the latter on being flattened by Kitten Kong.

My media: Ross Noble

I get all the motorbike mags and I'm a big channel-hopper.

The satirical news-based panel game has been running since 1990 and is now in its 40th series. The first guest host to face the crossfire from Paul Merton and Ian Hislop is the Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch; later in the series, Jeremy Clarkson and Martin Clunes will take the chair. The first guests to join them tonight are writer and presenter Victoria Coren and comedian Jon Richardson. We can also expect to see James Blunt, Nick Robinson and Ross Noble later in the series.

Ross Noble: 'I was lucky I was crap at school'

Ross Noble talks about motorbikes, Australian manners and his fearless approach to stand-up.