BCG Daily Sunday 25th May 2014

Radio Times review

As part of the 50th birthday celebrations, Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have a laugh at the expense of pretty much everything that has ever been on BBC Two. From a Likely Lads parody to a re-imagining of The Killing (featuring Pingu), it's a catalogue of derision that barely stops for breath.

Sacred cows get the bolt gun along with everything else: Enfield does a wheezing John Cleese impression that is spot-on and makes a lovely Alan-Bennett-as-Stalin in Talking Heads of State. The show is full of these kind of involved spoofs, not all of which come off, but enough do.

My favourite was Whitehouse doing Later... with Jools Holland re-imagined as a breakfast show ("And what a treat - Jeff Beck! Jeff, perhaps, if I could prod you awake...?"), but there will be something here for everyone.

Jennifer Saunders: BBC is risk averse

The BBC no longer encourages comedians to take creative risks, Jennifer Saunders has said as she suggested French & Saunders might not get commissioned today.

Harry and Paul agonising over their impressions

Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have delivered a host of comedy classics, but what's their new baby?

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman interview

The long-term writing partners talk about a disastrous experience with a confused Hollywood megastar led to their first play together since their teens.

Nick Frost's Mr Sloane: Best comedy of the year

Nick Frost's 1960s tragi-comedy - starring actress of the moment Olivia Colman - is Britain's answer to Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon Q&A report

The Q&A, screened live to over 180 cinemas across the UK, saw the pair talk about their Mediterranean jaunt, re-uniting with Michael Winterbottom, their relationship on and off set, growing old gracefully and more.

Knightmare on stage

Tom Bell, the co-creator of the hit stage version of the seminal 1980s TV show, explains the weird and enduring appeal of ITV's 1980s interactive fantasy kids' show.

Why are there no female comics at the V Festival?

So, there are absolutely no women in the V Festival comedy line-up. Not one, in a list of over 30 comedians! Surely this is craziness. In a year when the BBC have announced there will be at least one woman on every panel show, and after the nationwide outcry when comedian Jenny Collier was cancelled from a line-up due to "too many women on the bill": Is this really acceptable? Didn't they get the memo? "We are trying not to be sexist about women in comedy anymore". Tut.

What are the best British TV panel shows?

One of the most common and popular formats on British television is the venerable "comedy panel show". The UK has cornered the market with this genre, largely because it's the only country that makes so many. It probably helps that they're so cheap and relatively easy to produce.

Interview: Meera Syal on Goodness Gracious Me

The award-winning comedy show is back with a new one-off special. So we asked star Meera Syal for her favourite memories, and why she thinks it was so successful.

Comedy review: Happyness at Hoots

With Scottish parents of mixed religion who casually lied to him as a child for an easy life, the compere waggishly lamented his mildly dysfunctional upbringing as responsible for him becoming a comedian. Aisling Bea, similarly, painted a tragic picture of herself in the English capital, a hermit gorging on novelty chocolate, unable to interact socially without pawing at people like updates on her phone.

Harry and Paul's Story of the Twos review

Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse's spoof historical documentary Harry and Paul's Story of the Twos barely a missed step.