British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide

BCG Daily Wednesday 4th October 2023

News

Mutiny On The Buses. Image shows from L to R: Suzy (Janet Mahoney), Stan Butler (Reg Varney). Copyright: STUDIOCANAL Shop

On The Buses films get Blu-ray world premiere

The three hugely successful On The Buses feature films are to receive their world premiere Blu-ray release later this year.

Comedy Classics: Man About The House. Image shows left to right: Brian Murphy, Paula Wilcox TV

Man About The House stars reunite for documentary

The stars of hit 1970s sitcom Man About The House have reunited to take part in a new documentary about the comedy for Channel 5.

Brassic. Image shows left to right: Farmer Jim (Steve Evets), Vinnie (Joe Gilgun), Erin (Michelle Keegan), Tommo (Ryan Sampson) TV

Brassic Series 6 now filming

Filming has started on the sixth series of Brassic, Sky's hit comedy drama about a group of friends living in Lancashire.

The Graham Norton Show. Graham Norton. Copyright: So Television TV

'LOL: Last One Laughing' set for UK version

Amazon is reportedly planning a UK version of LOL: Last One Laughing, the TV format in which comedians must try to make each other laugh.

The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction 2023 shortlist Shop

Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction 2023 shortlist revealed

Books by India Knight, James Hannaham, Sophie McCartney, Fergus Craig, Aravind Jayan and Bob Mortimer have been shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction 2023.

Ghosts. Image shows left to right: Kitty (Lolly Adefope), Pat (Jim Howick), Captain (Ben Willbond), Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe), Julian (Simon Farnaby), Alison (Charlotte Ritchie), Robin (Laurence Rickard), Thomas (Mathew Baynton), Lady Button (Martha Howe-Douglas) TV

Ghosts Christmas special confirmed

It's been confirmed that hit sitcom Ghosts will conclude with a Christmas special this December.

FYI

Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable. Lou Sanders People

Lou Sanders on Dancing On Ice

Lou Sanders will be one of the contestants on Dancing On Ice when the show returns to ITV in January.

Features

Kayleigh Jones Live

Kayleigh Jones fed her dad to a pelican

Kayleigh Jones talks about I Fed My Dad to a Pelican, her debut comedy hour that tells the bizarre true story of how she found out another man was her dad and why, after finding her real dad, she fed him to a pelican.

Rising Damp. Image shows left to right: Alan Moore (Richard Beckinsale), Rupert Rigsby (Leonard Rossiter), Philip Smith (Don Warrington) Quiz

British Comedy Quiz #274

Feline smart? You meowt spot a subtle theme as you purruse this week's set of quiz questions.

BCG Pro

Juliet Cowan Pro

My Comedy Career: Juliet Cowan

You'll have seen Juliet Cowan acting in a number of TV sitcoms and comedy dramas. As she prepares to bring her debut comedy hour to the Women in Comedy Festival in Manchester at the weekend, we ask her about work-life balance, tips to get into the industry, and more.

Press clippings

BBC Studios

BBC Studios hires Channel 4's Nick Lee for drama and comedy

BBC Studios has appointed Channel 4's head of acquisitions and international Nick Lee as commercial director for drama and comedy following the recent exit of Caroline Stone after almost two decades.

Nico Franks, C21 Media, 4th October 2023
Alistair Barrie. Copyright: Steve Ullathorne

Alistair Barrie: Woke In Progress review

The jokes are crisp and his wearily exasperated middle-class liberal attitude well-defined.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 4th October 2023
Ian Smith

Ian Smith: Crushing review

An enjoyable and entertaining comedy hour.

Chris Omaweng, London Theatre 1, 4th October 2023
Everything Now. Mia (Sophie Wilde)

Everything Now review

This angsty eating disorder drama is no Sex Education. Created by Ripley Parker, the daughter of Thandiwe Newton, the show uses anorexia as a convenient springboard to jump into juicy storylines.

Jack Taylor, The Telegraph, 4th October 2023
Everything Now. Mia (Sophie Wilde)

Everything Now review

Everything Now is a promising addition to the teen drama canon. It's an honest look at what it really means to be a teenager in Britain in 2023, anchored by Mia's delicate and nuanced struggle with anorexia.

Marcus Wratten, Pink News, 4th October 2023
Bennett Arron

Bennett Arron: Loser review

Is Bennett Arron a winner or a loser? That's the simple premise of this affable Welsh comic's show.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 4th October 2023
Richard Herring

Richard Herring insists there's only one way to get cancelled as a comedian

If comedians do get cancelled, Richard explained, it is not because of sharing a funny joke, but because of 'saying a load of weird stuff.'

Kitty Chrisp, Metro, 4th October 2023
Joe Lycett

Joe Lycett trolls Suella Braverman over anti-LGBTQ+ refugee comments with spoof letter

The home secretary faced a torrent of backlash after she gave a speech to the American Enterprise Institute in which she attacked queer migrants seeking asylum in the UK.

Chantelle Billson, Pink News, 4th October 2023
Josh Pugh

Josh Pugh launches cult heroes podcast

Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and social media star Josh Pugh is launching Josh Pugh's Cult Heroes (@CultHeroesPod), has launched his brand new podcast where each week he interviews guests that hail from an eclectic variety of professions and life experiences.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 4th October 2023
Jordan Gray

Jordan Gray interview

Riding a wave towards comedy superstardom throughout 2023, the incredible Jordan Gray returns to London's Bloomsbury Theatre this month with smash-hit show Is It A Bird? We snatched some time with Jordan to talk about her epic year, joyful silliness, a new podcast, inspirational body parts, and things to do in London...

Stuart Wilson, To Do List, 4th October 2023
Starter For 10

Starter For Ten musical sets leading cast

Casting and details have been announced for a new stage musical based on the popular comedy film Starter For Ten.

Alex Wood, What's On Stage, 4th October 2023
Matt Lucas

Matt Lucas interview

'I'm a homosexual - by default I love musicals'. The comedian talks about composing, coming out and taking on his Little Britain co-star David Walliams in the world of children's books.

Siobhan Grogan, The Telegraph, 4th October 2023

Saltburn review

Hot Brideshead soup needs more seasoning.

Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 4th October 2023

Videos

Outsiders. Image shows left to right: Chris McCausland, Laura Smyth, David Mitchell, Alan Davies, Roisin Conaty, Judi Love, Guz Khan TV

Outsiders - Ramblin' On with Guz Khan & Judi Love

10 mins, 21 secs

David Mitchell rambles through the woods with Guz Khan and Judi Love, covering important topics like plantain, sex pests, and meditation.

The Devil Went Down To Islington. John Robertson (Spencer Brown) Film

The Devil Went Down To Islington - Trailer

1 mins, 39 secs

Set over the Halloween weekend, this comedy-horror follows an underachieving music teacher (Spencer Brown) and his dodgy colleague (James Lance) who end a big night out by unwittingly selling their souls to the devil for three days' good fortune.

Have I Got News For You. Image shows left to right: Ian Hislop, Paul Merton. Credit: Matt Crockett TV

Have I Got News For You - Series 66 trailer

46 secs

Have I Got News For You returns for a new series this Friday. Here's a trail featuring Guy Goma.

Podcasts

RHLSTP with Richard Herring. Image shows left to right: Richard Herring, Adil Ray

RHLSTP with Richard Herring: RHLSTP 469 - Adil Ray

64 minutes

#468 Where Are You, Satish Patel? - Richard is delighted to be back in bankrupt Birmingham and in front of the third biggest crowd to ever come to RHLSTP. His...

TV & radio

Radio 4 6:30pm
30 min
Please Use Other Door

Please Use Other Door

Series 2, Episode 4

How would middle class liberals plan a jewellery heist? What are the categories for the new Modern Man Awards? Why are people in care homes forced into group singing?

Sky Max. Copyright: Sky 9pm
45 min
Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Image shows left to right: Daisy May Cooper, Katherine Ryan, Graham McPherson, Greg Davies, Jamali Maddix, Talia Mar, Noel Fielding

Never Mind The Buzzcocks

Series 31, Episode 7

Suggs, Katherine Ryan and Talia Mar join regulars Noel Fielding, Daisy May Cooper and Jamali Maddix for the pop culture panel show, hosted by Greg Davies.

BBC Three 10pm
30 min
BBC New Comedy Awards. Image shows left to right: Jack McLean, Josh Jones, Maxine Vuvuzela, Ahir Shah, Maxine Wade, Amy Gledhill, Paddy Young, Josh Pugh, Faizan Shah

BBC New Comedy Awards

2023, Episode 1 - Sunderland

Josh Jones hosts the opening heat of the 2023 talent contest from Sunderland Fire Station.

Radio 4 11pm
15 min
Influencers. Image shows left to right: Ruth (Katherine Parkinson), Carla (Katy Brand)

Influencers

Episode 6 - Mushrooms

Ruth and Carla decide to experiment with micro-dosing psilocybin. As the mushrooms kick in there are revelations and home truths everywhere, and a new strategy for their online business emerges.

Radio 4 11:15pm
15 min
Jayde Adams in Welcome To The Neighbourhood. Jayde Adams. Credit: BBC, Unusual Productions

Welcome To The Neighbourhood

Series 2, Episode 8 - Briony May Williams

Jayde Adams and Briony May Williams dive into the world of community apps and messageboards. This week - a gerbil has an open wound, the classic combo of people angry at both cyclists and dog poo in Glasgow, and even paradise has its dark side in the Isles of Scilly as a cannon is "vandalised".

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