BCG Daily Monday 22nd September 2014

Comedy review: Still Game Live

The audience is enjoying the night of its life, in a show that earned its place in sitcom history with its rare combination of geriatric wit, ruthless unsentimentality and unstoppable life-force, and demonstrates here that it has lost none of its edge.

Theatre review: Still Game Live

This is a clever, vibrant and packed show which merrily plays to its audience yet has a broad appeal for Craiglang virgins looking for more substance to a comedy stage show.

John Kearns: the comic who made history

John Kearns won both Edinburgh's big comedy prizes in consecutive years - beneath the silly wig lies a golden talent.

The Inbetweeners: our university experience

The riotous Inbetweeners - Joe Thomas, Simon Bird, Blake Harrison and James Buckley - talk about their uni experiences and what they would have done differently - no holds barred.

Crackanory preview

When Crackanory first arrived on Dave last November, many weren't sure whether a show where well-known faces read bedtime stories to adults would work. Luckily it did and this week sees the series return with an even better line-up.

Terry Alderton on being booed off at Invictus Games

Last weekend Terry Alderton was booed off stage in front of 26,000 people, including members of the Royal Family, at the closing ceremony of Invictus Games for injured armed service people. Terry concedes he badly misjudged the mood of the occasion and says he feels "absolutely horrendous".

Tyneside comedy writer hoping for his Big Hit

This month sees the premiere of writer Wayne Miller's play, The Big Hit, at The Customs House in South Shields.

Radio Times review

The QI Elves, the folk who come up with those fiendish questions for Stephen Fry, emerge from their cave to field a team against the Bibliophiles tonight on Only Connect.

"Do you know everything about everything?" wonders host Victoria Coren Mitchell of the Elves. The answer is an emphatic no. She also brings a blush to the cheek of a Bibliophile by remarking upon his supposed resemblance to Benedict Cumberbatc, not that I could see it.

There are some killer rounds, though the music question might leave you feeling a bit smug as it's easy. But as always the connecting walls will probably wipe the smile from your face, when you think you've worked it out, but you haven't.

Radio Times review

A clutch of idiotic, skint blokes who constantly fail to attract the opposite sex as they bumble through life is a sitcom staple. But setting them in ancient Rome is the well-worked twist for this bright, engaging and frequently quick-witted comedy that won best new comedy at the British Comedy Awards in 2013.

In this series two opener, Marcus (Tom Rosenthal) tries to win the heart of the girl next door, while flatmate Stylax (Joel Fry) has his heart set on a lady-magnet chariot. Slave Grumio (Ryan Sampson) is probably the biggest delight with some fabulously deadpan asides. There's a decent new role for Neil Stuke, too, as the disreputable husband of the lads' fearsome boss Flavia (Doon Mackichan). And nostalgic sports fans will have a treat with Rosenthal's dad Jim commentating on the chariot race.

Stephen Fry admits to spending money on cocaine

Stephen Fry has confessed to using drugs in his new autobiography, More Fool Me, admitting he spent an 'enormous amount of time and money on cocaine'. The TV star, writer and actor said he had been 'stupid' to become involved in using the drug.

Tom Rosenthal on Plebs and the scene he can't watch

Ahead of tonight's series premiere, RadioTimes.com caught up with Tom Rosenthal to hear all about breezy tunics, boring history lessons and the worst thing he's ever seen himself do...

Brendan O'Carroll rejected Mrs Brown on Strictly

Comedian Brendan O'Carroll turned down a chance for Mrs Brown to tango on hit show Strictly Come Dancing, he has revealed.

Still Game Live - theatre on an extraordinary scale

Even in the posh seats, it feels more like being at a rally, but Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill transform the energy in this vast room into something special.

Omid Djalilli's favourite TV

The actor, writer and stand-up on his televisual reems and screams.

What We Did on Our Holiday - review

From the creators of TV's Outnumbered comes this enjoyable British comedy that takes the show's winning formula (talented and adorable children, a script that allows those children to improvise much of their dialogue) and successfully translates it to the big screen. The result is both charming and hilarious.

Profile: Butterflies, 1978

Despite it's age, this still stands out as very funny, even today.

Stephen Fry to shoot Martin Scorsese-produced UK drama

Tomorrow will be filmed in the UK capital with the QI star, plus Joss Stone and Paul Kaye.

Victoria Coren Mitchell meets the QI Elves

Who are the QI Elves? They're in the great pantheon of TV characters you hear about, but never see - like the wives of Arthur Daley, Norm Peterson and Niles Crane. As a long-time QI fan, whenever these enigmatic "Elves" were referred to on the programme, I would ask (like Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, watching the cloaked horse-riders on the horizon): "Who are those guys?" That's why I'm so excited that the Elves have broken cover, bringing a team to compete in Only Connect's first series for BBC Two.

David Mitchell lambasts 'rapacious' Amazon

David Mitchell has slammed Amazon as "benefit scroungers" in a barnstorming speech given at the Booksellers Association conference today.

Bad timing: when the news makes comedy uncomfortable

After the Rotherham abuse scandal, the sleazy taxi drivers in Cardinal Burns's sketch generate unease. What should comedians do when their material suddenly becomes sensitive?

Who are the QI Elves?

Smarter than Stephen Fry, but we know almost nothing about them - well not any more.

Jayde Adams wins Funny Women Awards final

Jayde Adams has won this year's Funny Women Awards Final at the Leicester Square Theatre. Second place went to Aine Gallagher and third place went to Lauren Pattison.

Tom Rosenthal on Plebs

Tom Rosenthal tells Digital Spy how he uses Plebs to make friends, reveals his outrageous diva demands and promises us a shot at stardom.

Tony Maudsley and Sophie McShera interview

My two favourite job seekers are back, Graham and Bryony, played by Tony Maudsley and Sophie McShera, and don't worry... they're still unable to find a job in this year.

Why one singleton became a stand-up

Despairing about dating, one writer, Jenny Stallard, tells how she turned her long search for Mr Right into a stand-up comedy routine.

Jason Manford episode review

It's all perfectly fine... but 'fine' is something of a comedown for what was, in its heyday, the must-see show of the week.

Dave Gorman on 'information overload'

Dave Gorman on 'information overload', 25 cats that look like Piers Morgan and why we should be happy with 'ish'.