BCG Daily Wednesday 15th June 2022

Fringe targets will not be easy to meet but are well worth pursuing

Two years on from its inevitable cancellation in the face of the Covid pandemic, there seems little doubt that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is about to bounce back.

Gavin & Stacey stars Larry Lamb and Alison Steadman spotted filming in Barry Island

Since BBC bosses confirmed that a Gavin & Stacey reunion will happen 'one day', fans have been waiting on tenterhooks. And fans were left convinced the big day could be upon us as the show's stars Larry Lamb and Alison Steadman were spotted filming together in Barry Island, Wales, where the series is set.

World's best ads ever #64: Hamlet starring Gregor Fisher

This 60-second, one-shot film was the brainchild of Rowan Dean and Gary Horner. Rather than witty dialogue or imaginative edits, it relied solely on the faultless physical comedy of Gregor Fisher, who reprised his hapless Baldy Man character from BBC sketch show Naked Video and had the public tickled with his cursed comb-over.

Brendan O'Carroll hasn't spoken to Gary Hollywood since he quit Mrs Brown's Boys

Gary Hollywood quit BBC sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys in 2020, with the show's creator and lead actor Brendan O'Carroll saying that the pair haven't spoken since his former co-star's sudden departure.

Vic Reeves opens new exhibition in Penzance

The artist Jim Moir, best known as his comedic alter-ego Vic Reeves, has officially opened his first ever exhibition in Cornwall.

Frank Skinner to be profiled on South Bank Show

The South Bank Show, one of the UK's most loved and longest standing arts and culture programmes, returns on Wednesday 20th July on Sky Arts with three brand new episodes, including one on comedian Frank Skinner.

James Acaster, Aisling Bea, Dylan Moran play new Manchester comedy festival

Laughterama, presented by heycar, is Manchester's all-new comedy festival, landing in Castlefield Bowl from 21-25th September 2022.

Helen Bauer and Huge Davies to record stand-up specials

Helen Bauer and Huge Davies are recording specials of their 2019 shows with comedy producers 800 Pound Gorilla.

Edinburgh run and UK tour for Olga Koch

Tickets are now on sale for Olga Koch's new show Just Friends, which will tour the UK after an Edinburgh Fringe run.

Nish Kumar calls Boris Johnson a lawbreaker

Nish Kumar has branded Boris Johnson a "lawbreaker" over his suggestion that the UK could leave the European Convention on Human Rights.

Can you write a sitcom? YES, but careful now...

Here are two things to bear in mind. I said there was money in it, but...

Miles Jupp and Justin Edwards to star in stage version of The Lavender Hill Mob

Miles Jupp and Justin Edwards will reunite for a new staging of the classic Ealing Comedy The Lavender Hill Mob, which will embark on a new tour from October.

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande review

Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack star in this feel-good sex comedy, in which a middle-aged woman solicits a sex worker. Katy Brand writes and Sophie Hyde directs.

Comedians celebrate 'brutal' Rwanda flights being grounded

Celebrities have condemned the "brutal, stupid and damaging" actions of the Government amid the ongoing legal battle to deport migrants to Rwanda. A plane due to take several individuals to Rwanda was grounded on Tuesday night after last-minute interventions by the European Court of Human Rights.

Comedians Frankie Boyle, Simon Brodkin and Sue Perkins were among those to comment on the controversial policy.

With All Jew Respect review

Sloppy, dull and facile, this lazy cut-and-paste job is quite the worst book about comedy to come out for some time.

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande review

Truthfully, the film is almost not a film at all, but a stage two-hander director Sophie Hyde works hard to give big-screen zing.

What happened to Lenny Henry?

The once great comedian has become a woke bore, wondering out loud why Glastonbury is 'so white', writes Julie Burchill.

Is comedy the last hiding place for predators?

Anotonia Hoyle investigates Kathryn Roberts, the female stand-up raped by a fellow comic and groping stage comperes.

Best in Class: Championing Working Class Comedy

With preparations for the Fringe well underway and spiralling costs a focal point for many, we talk to Best in Class about creating opportunity for working-class comedians.

Jolyon Rubinstein on taking on conspiricists

Jolyon Rubinstein has made a career out of tackling controversial subjects -- through comedy, satire, and sometimes provocative content. He acted in the Channel 4 comedy Nathan Barley, co-wrote and starred in BBC 3's The Revolution Will Be Televised, a comedy series taking a pop at corruption, created and produced ITV's hip hop panel show Don't Hate The Playaz. And now he is launching the third series of a podcast The New Conspiricist to tackle an internet-fuelled trend that ranges from entertaining escapism to deeply worrying.

Edinburgh 2022: Sam Lake Q&A

BWW catches up with Sam Lake about bringing Cake to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Edinburgh 2022: Chris Gethard Q&A

BWW catches up with Chris Gethard to chat about bringing A Father and the Sun to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Edinburgh 2022: Ania Magliano Q&A

BWW catches up with Ania Magliano to chat about bringing Absolutely No Worries If Not to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Edinburgh 2022: Chelsea Birkby Q&A

BWW catches up with Chelsea Birkby to chat about bringing No More Mr Nice Chelsea to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.