BCG Daily Wednesday 19th March 2014

Radio Times review

This new sitcom was born out of the success - but necessarily short shelf life - of the delicious Twenty Twelve. The idea of the BBC making a satire on the workings of the BBC is painfully circular but also, as it turns out, painfully funny.

Even so, the show walks a tightrope. In one scene here, Ian "So that's all good" Fletcher (Hugh Bonneville), now the BBC's newly appointed Head of Values, is hunting for a meeting room at Broadcasting House. He opens a door to find Alan Yentob and Salman Rushdie arm-wrestling while listening to opera. It's both a hilariously daring in-joke and the kind of thing you hope they keep in small doses. Too many knowing winks at the audience could get precious.

There are other celebrity cameos, but the joy of the show, as with Twenty Twelve, is the bland corporate-speak, the ability of conversations to progress with nothing being said in a flurry of Yes-no-absolutelys and Right-goods. This is writer John Morton's special gift (he's been doing it since People like Us on Radio 4) and he does it better than anyone.

Amy Conachan: Starring in a disability sex comedy

Amy Conachan is a rising young star of Scottish theatre, who's starring in a new stage comedy about the sometimes awkward reality of sex and disability.

James Corden to edit The Sun for Sport Relief

The Sun is to get a new editor on Friday - but only for one day. James Corden is to guest-edit the newspaper as part of the Sport Relief fun and games.

The modern BBC according to W1A

W1A, the highly anticipated follow up to Olympics comedy Twenty Twelve, spoofs the BBC. How right did they get it, wonders BBC insider David Quantick.

Matt Richardson on comedy, dildos and throwing up gin

You might know Matt Richardson for all things Xtra Factor, but he actually started out doing stand-up comedy - and he's on tour right now.

Hugh Bonneville interview

"We were filming in the lobby the other day, 20 of us milling around, and the chaps on the doors were chuckling watching us do it. Then I tried to get back inside to get changed and they wouldn't let me because I didn't have the right pass," Hugh Bonneville recalls.

Lynn Ruth Miller: Granny's Gone Wild review

It's debatable whether this challenges or reinforces stereotypes about age, but the carpe diem message is undeniably appealing.

Preview: W1A, BBC Two

Shitting on its own doorstep. A dog returning to its vomit. Liking the smell of its own farts. I'm not sure what the BBC's stance on W1A is, but I guess it is mainly about showing that they have the ability to laugh at themselves. The first episode in the eagerly anticipated semi-sequel to Twenty Twelve certainly sticks the boot into the Beeb but it is a designer boot, not a steel toe-capped one.

Kelly Brook tipped for Celeb Juice return?

It seems Kelly Brook is now the go-to person for maternity leave cover. She covered for Fearne Cotton as a team captain on Celebrity Juice and, now, the 34-year-old model and actress could be set to do the same for mum-to-be Holly Willoughby.

Duty Free cast to perform new stage show

Keith Barron, Gwen Taylor and Neil Stacy are reuniting in Last Of The Duty Free, described as its "next hilarious instalment" and which comes to the Churchill Theatre in Bromley later this spring.

Lost poems of Douglas Adams and Griff Rhys Jones found

The lost poems of Douglas Adams and Griff Rhys Jones have been found in school cupboard.

Leicester Mercury Comedy Awards 2014

Ten awards were handed out on the night, ranging from best show to best promoter. The penultimate award was the Lifetime Contribution Award, which was presented to Chris Maughan, who sits on the board of the comedy festival and has been involved since the first year.

Review - Parkinson: Masterclass, Eddie Izzard, Sky Arts

As the title suggests, it is a masterclass in chat. And it helps when Parkinson has a guest as open as Eddie Izzard, who is as happy to talk about running for London Mayor as he is about being an action transvestite and going out for the first time in leg warmers.

Comedy Preview: Hardeep Singh Kohli

Hardeep Singh Kohli has been making people laugh for years now, so it comes as a bit of surprise to discover that he has never actually performed his own stand-up comedy show... until now that is.

Blog on adapting the Hank Zipzer books for TV

When I was invited to pitch for the job of adapting Hank Zipzer I hadn't heard of the books but I had heard of author Henry Winkler.

Svengali - Film Review

Svengali is a fun Soho-Hoxton run around movie that delights. Sure the endings predictable but I don't mind because the rest was magical.

Jonathan Creek's return was a clunky dull waste of time

The whole series felt incredibly pedestrian and small-scale compared to the newer, more up to date BBC shows.

Nico Mirallegro: Sex scenes with Sharon Rooney were fun

My Mad Fat Diary star Nico Mirallegro has revealed how co-star Sharon Rooney broke the tension during their sex scenes.

Hugh Bonneville on bringing blue-sky thinking to BBC

"I did have to giggle to myself when I found a producer hiding in a stairwell trying to do a deal with some contributor on the phone because it was the only place to get a bit of privacy. I think the idea of being able to go to your own thought-space in the BBC is probably a thing of the past."

W1A reveals absurdities of corporate life

'A lot of people care about the BBC,' replies producer Paul Schlesinger, who admits to having an 'enormous affection' for the place. 'Everyone has some investment in it - literally they pay the licence fee. It feels like an organisation that is in the spotlight a lot of the time and there is a lot of public interest.'

Tom Hollander interview

Tom Hollander talks about playing the long-suffering vicar of a Hackney church, working with babies, people shouting 'Rev!' at him in the street and whether the new Archbishop of Canterbury likes the show.