Warwick Davis on his love for Manchester

Film and TV star Warwick Davis is preparing to entertain audiences in the show after starring and directing in the Manchester panto twice before. He says: "I feel at home in Manchester, and the Opera House is probably the venue I feel most at home in of all the venues I've played."

Radio Times review

Readers of a certain age will remember the Bob Monkhouse version of this genial noughts-and-crosses quiz game from the 1970s. Revived now with host Warwick Davis - who is just the right combination of cheeky yet charming - the format is pretty well the same as the original. General knowledge questions are put to the celebrities and the contestants decide whether or not they've answered correctly. If they're right, they win that square. The object then is to try to get three in a line.

As in the show's previous incarnation, the comedians (James Corden in Willie Rushton's central square position, Tim Vine, Joe Wilkinson etc) try to be funny. And sometimes they succeed.

Warwick Davis interview

'I grew up watching this show,' Warwick Davis enthuses. 'My goal is to have a chat show, so Celebrity Squares allows me to do that with nine celebrities each week.'

Warwick Davis interview

Warwick Davis and Ricky Gervais are friends, and even after the end of their comedy Life's Too Short which followed the fortunes of Davis's character in the world of showbusiness, they stay in touch. However there is one thing the actor, presenter and former Ewok Davis would never ask his pal, it seems: to go on his gameshow Celebrity Squares.

Warwick Davis takes on Celebrity Squares

Warwick Davis admits that his new role as a TV quiz master in the re-booted version of this classic comedy game show is one of his most challenging yet.

Warwick Davis: Life's Too Short could come back

The star of the Ricky Gervais comedy tells RadioTimes.com that it could return for a second series - but not before he makes his debut presenting a revival of Celebrity Squares on ITV.

Warwick Davis interview

TV Choice met Warwick to discuss his new project...

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.

Now a regular fixture on the stand-up calendar, this is the fifth gala raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

Filmed in May, more than 20 of the country's best-loved gagsters, including Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr, Jason Manford and Jo Brand, congregated at the O2 arena in London for a marathon of laughs that's been trimmed to a schedule-friendly three hours.

Warwick Davis and Diversity get the night off to a flying start, and if past years are anything to go by, it'll be worth sticking around for the commercial breaks too - you never know who might hijack the ads to shoe-horn in even more laughs.

The raucous annual stand-up bonanza in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital comes once again from the O2 in London.

When the live gig was held a couple of weeks ago, one critic described it as "Live at the Apollo on steroids". In other words, expect big, booming, arena-style stand-up from an all-star roster. Jack Whitehall, Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Noel Fielding and Jason Byrne are among the long list of comics donating gags to the cause.

Diversity open the show with a dance routine into which Alan Carr, Miranda Hart and Warwick Davis insert unexpected cameos. Lee Evans airs a routine about EasyJet. Russell Brand goes walkabout among the crowd. Rich Hall jokes about child labour ("Clothes make the man but kids make the clothes").

And unsurprisingly the recurring theme is the year's revelations about Jimmy Savile and other stars - everyone has an angle on that one.