British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide

BCG Daily Friday 5th February 2021

News

Daliso Chaponda People

Daliso Chaponda joins judging panel for Wodehouse book contest

Daliso Chaponda has joined the judging panel for the 2021 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction.

Gavin & Stacey. Image shows from L to R: Nessa (Ruth Jones), Gavin (Mathew Horne), Stacey (Joanna Page), Smithy (James Corden). Copyright: Baby Cow Productions TV

BBC comedy declared "at risk"

The amount of original comedy shown on the BBC has declined by more than 40% over the last decade, figures show, with the TV regulator now classifying comedy an "at risk" genre.

Murder, They Hope. Image shows from L to R: Gemma (Sian Gibson), Monica (Sarah Hadland). Copyright: Shiny Button Productions TV

'Murder, They Hope' cast revealed

Sarah Hadland, Shobna Gulati, Lee Mack, Paul Whitehouse and Jason Manford will be amongst the cast joining Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson in the new Gold series Murder, They Hope.

Stevo The Madman Online

Stevo The Madman piloting BBC comedy

The BBC are piloting an improvised comedy with Snapchat comic Stevo The Madman.

Features

Breeders. Image shows from L to R: Luke (Alex Eastwood), Jim (Alun Armstrong), Paul (Martin Freeman), Ally (Daisy Haggard), Jackie (Joanna Bacon), Ava (Eve Prenelle). Copyright: Avalon Television TV

Breeders Series 2 is coming in May

Series 2 of Breeders is due to start on Sky One and NOW TV this May. The action has moved forward a few years, with the kids now aged 13 and 10.

Stella Graham Live

First Gig, Worst Gig: Stella Graham

She's streaming for the Leicester Comedy Fest on Valentine's Day, but which gigs did Stella Graham not love?

BCG Pro

Image shows from L to R: Angela Barnes, Tom Deacon Pro

Angela Barnes and Tom Deacon on working on the radio

In this 50 minute video, stand-up comedians and presenters Angela Barnes and Tom Deacon discuss writing for radio, and presenting via the medium. They have loads of great insight and tips.

Press clippings

UK Pun Day returns with one-liners in your living room

Punday (er, Monday) 8th February marks the UK's seventh ever UK PunDay, an annual event in which pun fans around the country unite to share their best (and worst) puns on social media, using hashtag #UKPunDay.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 5th February 2021
Chortle Awards

Chortle Awards launch Legends Of Lockdown special

Live comedy may have been all-but eliminated by the coronavirus, but comedians have been keeping Britain entertained throughout lockdown - even as their own livelihoods are under threat. Now Chortle is to honour the industry's Legends Of Lockdown with a special edition of our annual awards, made possible by Audible.

Chortle, 5th February 2021
Munya Chawawa

Munya Chawawa: 'I'm fascinated by shock humour'

The viral comedian and satirist on the things that make him laugh the most.

The Guardian, 5th February 2021
The Ranganation. Romesh Ranganathan. Copyright: Zeppotron

Romesh Ranganathan: why I quit Twitter

There is a chance that if you're on Twitter you are not pure evil, but the way people speak to each other on it is unacceptable.

Romesh Ranganathan, The Guardian, 5th February 2021
Brassic. Image shows from L to R: Vinnie (Joe Gilgun), Erin (Michelle Keegan), Dylan (Damien Molony). Copyright: Calamity Films

Michelle Keegan mows a man down in a car

Michelle Keegan was seen mowing a man down in a car as she shot dramatic scenes for Brassic as Erin.

Stephanie Soteriou, The Sun, 5th February 2021

Videos

Rachel Dale Online

Nigella Awesome and the Roasted Groundhog

3 mins, 17 secs

Home Cookery's Darling is in lockdown like the rest of us. But what can it do to a person? Yes, Groundhog Day was the other day, but isn't it every day? Nigella Awesome ponders from her staircase once again...

Mother F**king Pep Talk. Bobby Mair. Copyright: Comedy Central Online

Mother F**king Pep Talk - Bobby Mair: Ask For Help

4 mins, 23 secs

Sometimes in life we are metaphorically gaffer taped to a chair and the only way to move on is to ASK FOR HELP. Bobby Mair wants you to know that when things are tough, you are not alone. There is nothing wrong with asking for a bit of help. #cactusboner

Podcasts

Ally and Herring's Twitch of Fun. Richard Herring

Richard Herring: Ally and Herring's Twitch of Fun: Episode 28 - Gargados with Russ Aggot

73 minutes

Richard has been moved by the death that has rocked this great nation this week, but he's got some stand-up about it, so that helps make up for it a...

Hayley & Ruth: Two Stars

Hayley & Ruth: Two Stars: Episode 4.3 - Vaccines and online theatre

38 minutes

Hayley and Ruth review the current selection of the Covid vaccines, while also finding time to cast a scathing eye over all online theatre.

TV & radio

YouTube 9am
17 min
No More Jockeys. Image shows from L to R: Mark Watson, Alex Horne, Tim Key

No More Jockeys

Set 3, Episode 3 - Set 3, Game 3

With Alex and Tim winning the opening games, can Mark tie the third set? Featuring singers, presidents, and a puppet.

Radio 4 11:30am
30 min
Skeletons In The Cupboard. Image shows from L to R: Maureen (Alison Steadman), Lesley (Morwenna Banks). Copyright: Little Brother Productions

Skeletons In The Cupboard

Series 2, Episode 4 - Killing David

Convinced that David is trying to kill them, Maureen and Lesley lure David to the house for a final showdown.

BBC Radio Scotland 1:30pm
30 min
Mark Nelson

The Good, The Bad And The Unexpected

Series 7, Episode 5

This week comedian Craig Hill lights up his life with his discovery of disco and BBC Scotland newsreader Catriona Shearer has a smashing time in her brand new car. New York City legend Lach completes the line-up with his stories of megastars before they were famous, megastars when they were famous, and what we'd all like to do just now but can't - getting out of the house.

Radio 4 6:30pm
30 min
The News Quiz. Andy Zaltzman

The News Quiz

Series 104, Episode 6

Andy Zaltzman chairs the satirical quiz, joined by guests Mark Steel, Helen Lewis, Athena Kugblenu and Chris McCausland.

BBC One. Copyright: BBC 8:05pm
30 min
Not Going Out. Image shows from L to R: Lee (Lee Mack), Frank (Bobby Ball), Lucy (Sally Bretton)

Not Going Out

Series 11, Episode 5 - War

A family visit to the World War Two war graves in Normandy unearths a piece of family history that is best left buried.

Channel 4 logo. Copyright: Channel 4 Television Corporation 10pm
60 min
The Last Leg. Image shows from L to R: Josh Widdicombe, Adam Hills, Alex Brooker

The Last Leg

Series 21, Episode 4

Jamali Maddix, Sandi Toksvig and Handforth Parish Council's Jackie Weaver join the boys to look back over the first week of February.

BBC One. Copyright: BBC 10:45pm
45 min
The Graham Norton Show. Graham Norton. Credit: So Television, Christopher Baines

The Graham Norton Show

Series 28, Episode 17 - Dave Grohl, Regé-Jean Page, Felicity Kendal, Alan Carr, Siobhan McSweeney, Jessie Ware

Dave Grohl says seeing himself perform at the Biden inauguration was weird, Regé-Jean Page talks about Bond and Bridgerton, Felicity Kendal jokes about her poor singing skills, Alan Carr says it's horrible having to reject people, Siobhán McSweeney says presenting is weird, and Jessie Ware performs live in the studio.

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