BCG Daily Friday 9th July 2021
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Ricky Gervais: 'The Office would be cancelled now'
On the 20th anniversary of The Office, its star and co-creator Ricky Gervais looks back on the success of the comedy show and considers whether viewers still connect with it today.
Jennifer Meierhans, BBC, 9th July 2021
An oral history of The Office
As the mockumentary that changed the course of comedy turns 20, Simon Bland speaks to co-creator Stephen Merchant, and some of the show's stars, to reflect on the creation of a modern comedy classic.
Simon Bland, The Independent, 9th July 2021
The Office at 20: hit TV show that couldn't be made now
Twenty years since the original UK version of The Office first aired, its co-creator Stephen Merchant talks to Clare Thorp about its legacy - and how a show rooted in reality now feels like an escapist fantasy.
Clare Thorp, BBC, 9th July 2021
Bill Cosby plans comeback on London stage
Bill Cosby is lining up a career comeback on the London stage, his agent has claimed, after his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault was overturned on a technicality.
The Times, 9th July 2021
How The Office ruined comedy
Before the first episode went out, 20 years ago today, The Office looked like just another BBC2 sitcom. Its species was still common enough in 2001. In fact, its fly-on-the-wall, "mockumentary" style seemed a little out of date, riding in on the coattails of its stablemate, John Morton's People Like Us.
Gareth Roberts, Unherd, 9th July 2021
First look at cast pictures for The Windsors: Endgame
As final cast members Eliza Butterworth (Eugenie) and Sophie-Louise Dann (Fergie) are announced, a series of (un)suitably hilarious Royal portraits of The Windsors: Endgame characters are revealed today.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 9th July 2021
Joe Lycett only sells 150 tickets for 10,000 seat show
Joe Lycett has appealed for his fans to book his Newcastle arena show for next year after he only sold 150 tickets for the 10,000-capacity venue.
The List, 9th July 2021
The Office at 20: how it changed how we speak
I can't get through a sentence without slipping into Office quotes. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's sitcom changed comedy forever - but for one generation, it also transformed how we speak.
Sarah Carson, i Newspaper, 9th July 2021
Shit-Faced Shakespeare: Macbeth review
Overall, Shit-Faced Shakespeare's Macbeth is just fantastic. It's every bit as brilliantly funny as the premise suggests, and with a different member of the cast drunk each night, making completely different jokes and improvisations, it seems to be something one could watch over and over and over.
Jim Compton-Hall, The Upcoming, 9th July 2021
Janey Godley to release first fiction novel
The comedian has signed with London-based Hodder & Stoughton to release the novel.
Gregor Young, The National (Scotland), 9th July 2021
Greenwich Comedy Festival announces 2021 line-up
Tom Allen, Dara O Briain, Sara Pascoe and more...
Chortle, 9th July 2021
Freddie Meredith interview
The actor and comedian, otherwise known as Groom of the Stool, on the things that make him laugh the most.
The Guardian, 9th July 2021
Three Lions single roars back into UK top 10
As Gareth Southgate's England team prepare to face Italy in the Euro 2020 final, fans have been volleying football songs back into the charts. Three Lions is the most popular song in the run-up to the match, jumping 18 places to number four.
Mark Savage, BBC, 9th July 2021
Russell Howard wants us all to embrace silliness
Performing his Respite gig at Bristol's Ashton Gate stadium, the chirpy TV comedian confronted ife in 2021.
Martin Booth, The Telegraph, 9th July 2021
Gervais clarifies comments on Office getting cancelled
The comedian said the remarks were "clearly a joke".
Clémence Michallon, The Independent, 9th July 2021
This Way Up is the perfect post-pandemic binge
This Way Up is the latest in a line of cerebral and whipsmart British dark comedies that reflect the imperfect salve of humor on the imperfect wound of grief.
Dana Gerber, The Boston Globe, 9th July 2021
Metro didn't breach rules over Linehan remarks
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) has ruled that Metro did not breach media regulations when it said Graham Linehan was "known for anti-trans rhetoric".
Patrick Kelleher, Pink News, 9th July 2021This Way Up Series 2 review
A sweet romance as well as some sisterly love help give Hulu's show an effortless charm and a sharp sense of its strong cast.
Steve Greene, IndieWire, 9th July 2021Bob Kellett's short films
The great media historian Julian Petley famously used the phrase 'lost continent of British cinema', which could apply to many works, from ABPC major features to Rank light comedies. But to those whose film passions were forged by past television schedules, A Home Of Your Own could never be "lost".
Andrew Roberts, Network, 9th July 2021Videos
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9am27 min
No More Jockeys
Set 4, Episode 6 - Set 4, Game 6Alex and Mark now have a win each, but can with of them narrow Tim's lead in a game featuring some copper-bottom classics.
11:30am30 min
Breaking The News
Series 19, Episode 4Des Clarke breaks down the news with Fred MacAulay, Amy Matthews, Ria Lina & Billy Kirkwood.
11:30am30 min
Ashley Blaker: 6.5 Children
Series 1, Episode 1 - Too Many KidsAshley explains why he and Gemma kept having children and details the many challenges of having such a full household, including a ridiculously complex morning routine and the crippling expense of replacing broken electronics chargers.
6:30pm30 min
Dead Ringers
Series 21, Episode 5Labour's Angela Rayner has some unusual items for the team at The Repair Shop, and there's a unique perspective on Andy Murray's personal life.
10pm90 min
The Last Leg
Series 22, Special - The Last Leg Of The Euros With Baddiel And SkinnerTom Allen and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi join Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker for a comic review of the significant moments of the past seven days. The hosts also look ahead and count down to this summer's Tokyo Paralympics, and also to a certain football match with extra special guests David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds.
10:45pm15 min
Adrian Edmondson - Signs Of Life
Series 1, Episode 5 - A Boy Named SueAt various stages in his life Adrian Edmondson has attempted to change his name. He ponders his family history and how he came to be called Adrian. He was ribbed at school for having what was thought of as a girl's name.