Russell Howard

You could make a good argument that 2010 was the best year for a while in TV comedy. Harry Hill and Benidorm scaled new heights on ITV. The Inbetweeners brought E4 its biggest audience yet. On BBC2 a string of quirky sitcoms (The Trip, Grandma's House, Rev, Roger & Val Have Just Got In) felt like the stirrings of a new wave. And the likes of Michael McIntyre, John Bishop and Russell Howard made ever larger numbers of people rock with laughter just by standing on a stage, talking. So there's plenty for the annual prize-giving to mull over as Jonathan Ross calls the assembled funny-folk to order at the 02 in London. On past form, Ross will kick the evening off with a laboured and overlong routine of his own, despite being the 43rd best stand-up in the room, then he'll strive to keep order as a procession of writers, actors and comics seize both their trophies and the chance to be cheeky on live TV. And on past form, it should be a blast.

Russell Howard: Laughing all the way to the bank

If you're young, chances are you'll love Russell Howard, with his topical BBC show garnering a million hits on iPlayer. Ian Burrell meets the small-town boy about to embark on a money-spinning tour.

It's like The Inbetweeners take on current affairs as adolescent-type Russell Howard returns with this extended version of Thursday's night's opener to the third series of Good News. Sticking to its popular formula and fitting in with BBC3's bubbly remit, get ready for ADHD facial expressions, funny voices and jokes about tits, toilets and shagging. It should be praised as one of the only places on TV you'll hear "arsebiscuit" and George Osbourne in the same sentence but if you don't like Howard, Newsnight is mere days away.

Russell Howard on watching TV for a living

The 30-year-old's career in comedy has taken off thanks to his musings on the world as presented in newspapers, online and on telly. And although he spends half his time on-screen slagging off the way the world is reported in the country's papers, he knows he'd be lost without it.

After Jonathan Ross announced he was leaving the BBC, there was a frenzy of torrid speculation about his possible Friday Night with Jonathan Ross replacement. Which was ridiculous for two reasons: (a) it was only a chat show and (b) it had to be Graham Norton. Every half-baked pop star, every failing, narcissistic actor thinks that hosting a chat show is the easy route to riches because, surely, there's nothing to it. But Norton, more than anyone, shows all these no-hopers it needs consummate skill and an almost frightening ability to think on your feet. Norton is brilliant and so much better than Ross because he is able to spark and then sustain a proper conversation. And he's flipping funny. Tonight's opener features fiery songstrel Charlotte Church, Hollwood actress Maggie Gyllenhaal and comedian Russell Howard, without whom no panel game or chat show is complete. Or so it seems.

The BBC didn't have to look far for a presenter to fill Jonathan Ross's shoes. All it took was a quick shuffle of the schedules, cross out the word "Monday", replace it with "Friday" and Hey Presto! The Graham Norton Show is all good to go.

We predict his move to the coveted Friday night throne will be sparkling and seamless as the new King Of Chat welcomes Charlotte Church, actress Maggie Gyllenhaal and comedian Russell Howard (whose own new series started on BBC3 last night).

The irony of the risque host being turned into the BBC's safe pair of hands in the wake of the Sachsgate fiasco won't be lost on Norton and we'll be disappointed if he doesn't milk this for a bit of comedy mileage. At least, it should be a nice change for female guests not to be leered at.

As series three kicks off, Russell Howard must be one of the best informed comedians after devouring weeks of rolling news looking for funnies. It's entirely possible that there are some people watching this whose only exposure to world events are the bits they pick up from this show, HIGNFY and Mock The Week.

In that sense Howard is performing a valuable service - filtering the news through his giant comedy sieve to remove all the lumpy, unpalatable bits. Plus he's got the boyish enthusiasm and stand-up mettle to keep the ball rolling in front of a live studio audience. Good news for BBC3 and good news for comedy fans.

Russell Howard Is Back!

Only hours to wait now until Russell Howard is back on your screens for a brand new series of Russell Howard's Good News. You'd think he'd be busy working on his show but it seems there are other things on his mind...like the takeover of Liverpool Football Club.

Interview: Russell Howard

The Evening Standard catches up with the Bristol-born funnyman ahead of a new series of his hit BBC Three show, Russell Howard's Good News.