BCG Daily Wednesday 7th May 2014

Bridget vs Bertie for Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction

A Jeeves and Wooster pastiche is up against the latest Bridget Jones novel for an award celebrating the year's funniest books.

Miller's Mountain, Comedy Playhouse - BBC, TV review

When the BBC's announced the return of Comedy Playhouse a few months back, sitcom fans had reason to be optimistic. This was the long-running anthology series which, between 1961 and 1975, gave us classics including Steptoe & Son and Are You Being Served?. Would this three-part revival turn up anything worthy of a full-series commission? After watching the second instalment, Miller's Mountain, last night, the answer is: not so far.

Miller's Mountain: No one's cracking a smile

The one-off Miller's Mountain (BBC One) was quite literally as funny as a broken leg.

Radio Times review

Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns have more faith in their running characters than their one-off sketches. That seems a shame when, as we saw in the series opener, their one-offs can be world-beaters. The good news is, Cardinal Burns gives its regulars much more to do than simply repeating the same gag in a different setting: each sketch has its own mini-narrative.

In this episode, 70s-throwback minicab drivers Hashtag and Bukake are bewitched by a siren in a red dress, while a virile new temp comes between the office flirts. The biggest laugh? Rubbish lads Jonesy and Metcalfe arrange a stag night for their mate. "3-2-1, organised fun!"

QI: what can be called 'tickle-my-fancy'?

A quietly intriguing column from the brains behind QI, the BBC quiz show. This week: QI springs eternal.

Studying Russell Brand at A-level? Boring...

With Russell Brand now acceptable material for English A-level, is there anything his flowery prose can teach us? UCL professor John Sutherland casts his critical eye over Brand's recent testimony on drug addiction.

Grainne Maguire interview

Grainne Maguire chats to The Irish Post ahead of her gig this Saturday night as part of the London Irish Comedy Festival Edinburgh Preview season.

David Baddiel review

David Baddiel is invariably the comedic fall guy, albeit cushioned by clever callbacks and pithy asides.

Why not study Russell Brand for A-level English?

Those who mock the inclusion of modern cultural references in the syllabus are misguided to think English was a once-fine structure now at risk.

The Free Fringe comes to Balham

The Balham Free Fringe returns to The Bedford pub for its fourth consecutive year, offering over 40 hours of free comedy, theatre and music across three stages in one weekend from June 20 - June 22.

Youngers preview

If you're a teenager, especially living in London, you've probably heard of Youngers, an E4 comedy drama which follows a group of teenagers from South London who want to become the next big thing in the music industry.

Frank Sidebottom: enduring oddball

Chris Sievey's alter ego with the papier-maché head has inspired an upcoming film - not bad for a one-off character designed to promote a videogame, says David Quantick.

Cardinal Burns: 5 of the best sketches

Despite videos from the pair popping up from these two for years, their style is so refreshing, it's almost as if they've only just got started.

Frank - review

Great performance from Michael Fassbender in cautionary tale of mental frailty.

Frank review: a quirky comedy about music and madness

Surprisingly few films are made about the creative process, but Frank succeeds in capturing the chaos and community that is formed from such people working together, as well as looking at the dichotomy of celebrity vs artistic integrity, and whether you need to be tortured in order to be a genius.

Former monk has found his calling as a comedian

Award-winning comedian and failed Buddhist monk Sam Brady brings his new comedy show, Kindness, to Birmingham next week.

Billy Connolly interview

Billy Connolly: Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated.

Russell Kane can't wait to get married

Russell Kane is gearing up to tie the knot to his longterm girlfriend but not before he stops off for a tour of Ireland.

Eddie Izzard interview

"I think I proved that all humour is human; it's the references that make it national," says Eddie Izzard.

Twitter hails 'genius' Ricky Gervais after best Derek

Tonight's episode of Derek has been dubbed Ricky Gervais' best ever thanks to a welcomed cameo from Joe Wilkinson.

Derek season 2 - the series so far in GIFs

When Derek's not giving Hannah relationship advice he's watching Kev drink Special Brew from the carpet and/or look up the skirts of the residents. Here is a list of what else has been going on.

Politicians joined by Ruby Wax as parliament meditates

MPs and peers sample mindfulness practice becoming popular across UK as means to overcome mental health problems.