Upstart Crow
- TV sitcom
- BBC Two
- 2016 - 2020
- 21 episodes (3 series)
Sitcom about the life of jobbing playwright William Shakespeare, struggling to find inspiration in Tudor London. Also features David Mitchell, Rob Rouse, Gemma Whelan, Liza Tarbuck, Harry Enfield and more.
Streaming rank this week: 1,295
Press clippings
Upstart Crow axed by the BBC, David Mitchell reveals
Upstart Crow will not be returning to the BBC, David Mitchell has revealed. Ben Elton's Shakespeare sitcom ran for three series on BBC Two, with three Christmas specials and a spin-off stage play. Mitchell has said that he would love to reprise his role as the Bard and appealed to other broadcasters to rescue the period sitcom.
British Comedy Guide, 2nd October 2023Upstart Crow stage show review
Laugh-til-it-hurts panto pleasure.
Marianka Swain, The Telegraph, 3rd October 2022Full cast announced for The Upstart Crow
The Upstart Crow returns to London's West End later this month for a strictly limited 10-week season at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 8th September 2022The Upstart Crow stage show to return
David Mitchell and Gemma Whelan will return to The Upstart Crow, the stage show spin-off from Ben Elton's TV sitcom.
British Comedy Guide, 16th May 2022Seven great British comedy TV shows for any taste
There's nothing better after a busy day than sitting down and enjoying a comedy on the television. A good comedy has the ability to make us smile, pulls at the heartstrings of the audience and sucks us into an alternate reality. So for anyone looking to watch tv shows that are guaranteed to bring on a chuckle, here are seven broad-ranging British comedies. While we all have a favourite go-to show or series, discovering new ones could be as simple as checking out this list.
The Upcoming, 23rd November 2021Mrs. Brown's Boys suffers in cross-channel ratings drop
Mrs. Brown's Boys has suffered its lowest-ever Christmas Day ratings this year, but amidst a much-criticised poor festive TV schedule, remains the second most-watched comedy special of the season to date.
British Comedy Guide, 27th December 2020Upstart Crow review
Review of the Christmas special set during a plague lockdown.
Carol Midgley, The Times, 22nd December 2020Upstart Crow: Lockdown Christmas 1603, BBC Two review
A certain flatness goes with the territory here.
David Nice, The Arts Desk, 22nd December 2020Upstart Crow, review: Is Covid comedy a plagued format?
Despite some good topical gags, the smug tone made this Ben Elton farce a tiresome turkey.
Anita Singh, The Telegraph, 21st December 2020Upstart Crow, Lockdown Christmas 1603, BBC2, review
The two-hander lacked the usual rollicking ensemble and was based on a single joke.
Barbara Speed, i Newspaper, 21st December 2020