BCG Daily Friday 6th June 2014

Dawn French: Thirty Million Minutes review

There's tragedy at the core of French's roly-poly persona - yet the place she finds herself in appears to be a good one.

Preview: Jesterval 2014, Baltic Square, Gateshead Quays

Opening today in a 300-seater marquee on Baltic Square, just off Newcastle's glorious quayside, the festival kicks off with shows from Geordie comedian Gavin Webster (6pm), former Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Brendon Burns (8pm) and a Geordie Comedy Gala (9.45pm) featuring the best of local talent.

Radio Times review

Watching this comedy is like being trapped in a Woody Allen fantasy: it's hard to believe a beautiful, young, free-spirited American would ever be interested in a portly, persnickety Englishman who is loath to leave Watford. If you can swallow that, it's a class act (the 60s set is worthy of a costume drama).

In this episode, our hapless hero has his first taste of marijuana shortly before a deliciously disastrous job interview. OK, so it's not the most original of scenes but Nick Frost is even funnier playing a pothead.

Earliest comedy by female playwright returns to stage

The earliest surviving comedy drama by a British woman - written almost 400 years ago - is being resurrected this weekend in Kent.

This week's new live comedy

Previews of Tom Rosenthal, Lucy Beaumont and Jason Cook.

Fringe Preview: Pete Firman, Grey Horse, Kingston

It is surely only a matter of time before the bulging Edinburgh Fringe programme boasts a special section for all the magicians appearing there. And when it does pride of place should go to Pete Firman, who is one of the best and most entertaining illusionists to appear in recent years.

Video: Ross Noble's 'court date' in Sunderland

Noble - famed for his surreal improvisations - ended up in Sunderland after Fulwell man Brian Aslett tweeted him to ask for support at a case at the city's county court.

BBC criticised for obscene comedy mocking murdered lord

Radio 4 sitcom Blocked triggers complaints after lampooning the death of the Queen's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten, on the eve of the Normandy Landings anniversary.

Dawn French reveals she had a secret hysterectomy

When Dawn French dramatically lost weight three years ago there was speculation she'd had a gastric band fitted or was suffering from stress after her split from Lenny Henry. But the comedian has now revealed the real reason behind her decision to shed the pounds - she needed to have a hysterectomy following a cancer scare.

Simon Brodkin on nearly boarding that World Cup plane

"There wasn't really a plan, to be honest. I just thought it would be a giggle", Brodkin says.

The Inbetweeners 2 film will be the last

The Inbetweeners 2 film will be last instalment of E4 comedy favourite says Neil star Blake Harrison.

Jesterval 2014: 5 must-see free shows

Previews of Andy Fury, Funny Team, Gareth Berliner and Kiruna Stamell, Skily and more.

Jesterval 2014: 5 paid shows you really ought to see

Previews of Gavin Webster, Lee Kyle, Jason Cook, Dave Johns and Tony Law.

Sarah Callaghan interview

Sarah Callaghan is been tipped by TimeOut as one of the comedy class of 2014 for her fresh, unpretentious take on life as an early-20s Londoner. She's got one of our favourite jokes about spiders too.

Radio review: Blocked

Frankie Boyle has proved too controversial for supposedly edgy late-night TV shows, so it could come as a surprise that his BBC comeback comes via middle-class Radio 4, albeit as a writer rather than a performer.

The Rahul Kohli extended interview

Rahul Kohi has been performing comedy for almost two years. He says that it was something he'd wanted to do ever since he was fifteen, when he caught Kevin Bridges live at The Comedy Store. Martin Walker asks how he got started.