British Comedy Guide

BCG Daily Thursday 7th October 2021

News

Press clippings

8 Out Of 10 Cats. Jimmy Carr. Copyright: Zeppotron

Jimmy Carr: Comedy made my whole life better

Jimmy Carr might be one of the UK's best-loved comedians, but he is also well aware that many people will most remember him for the controversy surrounding his tax affairs almost a decade ago.

Steven McIntosh, BBC, 7th October 2021
Alma's Not Normal. Alma Nuthall (Sophie Willan)

Sophie Willan: BBC 'faffing' over Alma Series 2

Sophie Willan has accused the BBC of 'faffing' over whether to order a second series of hit comedy Alma's Not Normal.

Chortle, 7th October 2021
Noel James. Copyright: SyCo Productions

Noel James to host new quiz on BBC Radio Cymru

For Welsh Learners Week, comedian Noel James will be presenting a new quiz called Cystadleu-IAITH every lunchtime Monday-Friday on BBC Radio Cymru.

BBC, 7th October 2021
Jon Courtenay

Jon Courtenay: What's It All About? review

Jon Courtenay won Britain's Got Talent last year. You surely know that if you bought tickets to his tour - but if you didn't you certainly will afterwards.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 7th October 2021
Tom Walker

Jonathan Pie: Fake News (The Corona Remix) review

The intensity of his rage, so impotent against the weight of society and establishment, has an intrinsic dark humour of its own.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 7th October 2021
Njambi McGrath

Njambi McGrath: Accidental Coconut review

McGrath is smart and sardonic about the after-effects of British imperialism in Africa - even if she's just skimming the surface.

Brian Logan, The Guardian, 7th October 2021
Funny Women

Meet 2021 Funny Womem Shorts Award winner Ada Player

We caught up with Ada to talk about winning, her comedy short and the importance of collaborating.

Funny Women, 7th October 2021
Mark Watson

Mark Watson: lessons I learned performing online

I performed one show on Microsoft Teams in which only one of the 50-strong audience was visible on screen; I did 45 minutes of stand-up to this one man's face, like someone doing a gig stuck in a lift.

Mark Watson, The Independent, 7th October 2021
Jack Whitehall

Jack Whitehall becomes Britain's best paid star

Jack Whitehall has overtaken Bradley Walsh to become Britain's best paid star.

His total assets of £14.6million last year also beat The Chase host's £12.5million, Companies House records show.

Clemmie Moodie, The Sun, 7th October 2021
8 Out Of 10 Cats. Jimmy Carr. Copyright: Zeppotron

Jimmy Carr: Sean Lock's death left me ill for weeks

Jimmy Carr was so grief-stricken by the death of his friend Sean Lock that he became ill.

The comic worked with Sean for more than 15 years, including over 250 episodes of Channel 4 panel show 8 Out Of 10 Cats and its Countdown spin-off.

Rod McPhee, The Sun, 7th October 2021
Peep Show. Jeremy Usbourne (Robert Webb). Copyright: Objective Productions

Robert Webb reveals near-fatal secret health battle

For the past two weeks comic Robert Webb has entertained audiences with his energetic dances on Strictly - but last year he could barely walk after having emergency surgery to save his life.

Robert, 49, best known for co-starring with David Mitchell in cult sitcom Peep Show, learned he had a congenital heart defect made worse by a ten-year battle with the bottle.

Rod McPhee, The Sun, 7th October 2021

Videos

Podcasts

TV & radio

Radio 4 2:15pm
30 min
The Attendant. Image shows from L to R: Ella (Patricia Allison), Alex (Will Merrick), Keith and the 'How To' Tapes (Kenneth Collard)

The Attendant

Episode 1 - Frankenstein

Alex is desperate to find someone to share his life with, but too scared to do anything about it. A film obsessive, he works the night shift at an isolated petrol station on the outskirts of a two-bit town. Awkward, and with no real friends to speak of, he confides in his only 'colleague' - a smiley-faced vacuum cleaner named Keith, whose voice only Alex can hear.

Channel 4 logo. Copyright: Channel 4 Television Corporation 8pm
60 min
Joe Lycett's Got Your Back. Jo Brand

Joe Lycett's Got Your Back

Series 3, Episode 8

Jo Brand joins Joe as he goes on a mission to make Britain's beaches more eco-friendly by banning cheap polystyrene bodyboards. Plus, comedian Joanne McNally investigates diet fads and the team explores online shopping fraud loopholes. As usual, tech specialist Mark Silcox offers support to the host's quests.

Sky Max. Copyright: Sky 9pm
60 min
A League Of Their Own. Copyright: CPL Productions

A League Of Their Own

Series 16, Episode 8

Featuring Rugby Union star Joe Marler, presenter Kelly Somers, comedian Joel Dommett, professional gadabouts David Walliams and Jonathan Ross, and - to make sure he's doing his job properly - Romesh's mum Shanthi Ranganathan. This week the teams take part in a pillow fight, have a go on a pop cycle, and play a game of Danger Dodgeball.

Sky Arts logo. Copyright: Sky 9pm
60 min
Tim Allen

Comedy Legends

Series 4, Episode 10 - Tim Allen

Barry Cryer pays tribute to actor and comedian Tim Allen, who rose to fame in US sitcom Home Improvement and provides the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story films.

Channel 4 logo. Copyright: Channel 4 Television Corporation 9pm
60 min
Taskmaster. Image shows from L to R: Alan Davies, Alex Horne. Copyright: Avalon Television

Taskmaster

Series 12, Episode 3 - The End Of The Franchise

The perfect Taskmaster contestant should be as versatile as an egg, able to turn their hand to anything from construction to choreography. This is the contestant that Greg Davies dreams of, yet instead, in this episode, he gets Victoria Coren Mitchell drawing an exploding cat, Alan Davies hurting himself with a rubber band and Desiree Burch doing something inexplicable when faced with sand. Alex Horne provides statistical analysis.

BBC Two 10pm
30 min
QI. Rose Matafeo

QI

Series S, Episode 5 - Sugar & Spice

With Jason Manford, Alice Levine and Rose Matafeo.

U&Dave channel logo 10pm
60 min
Late Night Mash. Jordan Brookes. Copyright: Zeppotron

Late Night Mash

Series 1, Episode 6

Rosie Jones returns to the show to discuss diversity on screen. The show also comments on space exploration, Nish gives his take on the Conservative Party Conference, and a business leader sets out his offer to employees.

Union Jack 10pm
60 min
Union Jack Radio Comedy Club

Union Jack Radio Comedy Club

Episode 1

This first episode will include comedy from Paul McCaffrey, who has recently appeared on major UK tours; Nina Gilligan, who's often described as a bolshier Mrs Merton; and Aaron Simmonds, a former BBC New Comedy Award finalist and winner of Jewish Comedian of the Year.

Sky Max. Copyright: Sky 10pm
60 min
The Russell Howard Hour. Sophie Willan. Copyright: Avalon Television

The Russell Howard Hour

Series 5, Episode 5

Tonight Russell welcomes Alma's Not Normal star Sophie Willan and further reflects on petrol problems. There's stand-up from Andrew Bird and Andrew Steele talks about ageing.

BBC Scotland channel. Copyright: BBC 10pm
30 min
The Scotts. Image shows from L to R: Vincent Scott (Robert Florence), Colette Scott (Louise McCarthy), Henry Scott (Iain Connell)

The Scotts

Series 1, Episode 5

Vincent and Vonny prepare to reaffirm their marriage vows in characteristic over-the-top style. Vonny's dress looks gorgeous. Vincent's emerging from an ornamental swan.

ITV2 logo. Credit: ITV 10pm
45 min
The Emily Atack Show. Emily Atack. Copyright: Monkey Kingdom

The Emily Atack Show

Series 2, Episode 1 - Holidays

Emily Atack returns for a second series and in the opening episode reflects on holiday dilemmas, from packing to snogging, the deep horror of destination weddings, and camping.

Radio 4 11pm
30 min
Drop The Dead Panda. Image shows from L to R: Ken Cheng, Evelyn Mok

Drop The Dead Panda

Evelyn Mok and Ken Cheng star in a sketch show with an all writing and acting cast of East Asian talent.

Absolute Radio 11pm
5 min
Shaun Keaveny

Rockanory

Episode 20 - Trying To Get Blood Out Of A Stone, Part 4

Did Keith Richards have all of his blood replaced in a secret clinic high in the Swiss mountains? Sounds plausible, right?

Share this page