Michael McIntyre's Big Show

Michael McIntyre's Big Show sees the popular comedian oversee just under an hours' worth of entertainment which is all watched live by a packed audience in a theatre. I does seem as if this is the vehicle that McIntyre has been given instead of a second series of his forgotten chat show but he is definitely in his element presenting stand-up comedy in front of an audience. But one segment of McIntyre's chat show that has been retained is 'Send to All' in which the comic sends an amusing text to the entire address book one unsuspecting audience member. On this new show that audience member is a celebrity with Geri Horner assuming the role of the person who had a text sent on her phone to everyone she knew asking them if it would be OK to massage them. Definitely the funniest moment of the episode came from McIntyre's revelation of some of the responses Geri had received especially those from her mother and her agent. The other big draw of the show was 'The Secret Star' portion in which McIntyre tricked a Welsh hairdresser to think she was working on the show only to surprise her with the fact that she'd be on the show herself. The surprising the audience member stunt has been done on almost every Saturday night show before but what made this different was that the Secret Star then got to duet with Michael Ball in what I must say was a very impressive performance. Although these two segments and McIntyre's links were entertaining stuff not everything about The Big Show worked that well. A performance from Tinie Tempah just felt out of place whilst I personally didn't think the introduction of an acrobatics troupe worked particularly well either. But my main complaint about the show is its theatre setting as it made everything feel a little bit static and stuffy. I think that if the Big Show had been in a TV studio, and taped live, then it would have a bit more excitement to it and would've even be able to rival Ant and Dec. I don't want to knock BBC One as Michael McIntyre's Big Show is definitely a step in the right direction as far as Saturday night entertainment is concerned. I just think these shows need to get out of the theatre and into the studio where everything feels a little bit more chaotic and let's be a honest a little bit more fun.

Michael McIntyre's Big Show review

I laughed several times. Truth be told, in terms of entertainment per minute it put an average episode of Britain's Got Talent to shame.

Here's what viewers made of Michael McIntyre's Big Show

Michael McIntyre's Big Show on BBC One has viewers divided.

Seizing the "Beeb does variety shtick" baton from John Bishop, McIntyre launches his latest well-meaning if MOR venture, filmed at the Theatre Royal in London. This week Geri Horner (formerly Halliwell) falls victim to the Send To All treatment, with the host embarking on the brand of text-based trolling that will be familiar from his chat show. There's also acrobatics, a performance from Tinie Tempah and an unsuspecting civilian is given the chance to duet with Michael Ball.

Is Michael McIntyre the funniest man in Britain?

The cheeky comic turns variety host in a new Saturday night series for BBC One, Michael McIntyre's Big Show, and it looks likely to be yet another hit for him.

In the sitcom Extras, Ricky Gervais's character, Andy Millman, has his comedy script accepted by the BBC. Any writer struggling for their big break would be overjoyed, but Millman keeps his cool in the initial meeting with the Beeb and is at pains to stress the comedy should be shown on BBC2. Instead of grabbing at anything, he insists it should not be shown in BBC1. After all, a comedy on BBC1 prime time can't be particularly clever or subversive can it? So what of comedy shows that are not only on BBC1 but, whisper it, on BBC1 on a Saturday night?

Specifically, what of a comedy that has been brought in to replace The Voice in the schedule? Can it be any good? This is not an hour of stand-up, which would have been a brave and welcome move. Instead, it's more of a variety show, hosted by Michael McIntyre. There will be sketches, singing, acrobatics, and pranks on the audience. It's Saturday night TV without a doubt.

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Michael McIntyre's brand of light entertainment is a finer art than expletive-filled late-night comedy.