BCG Daily Thursday 28th March 2024
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Press clippings
Lydia West interview
The 30-year-old It's A Sin actor plays the bestie of a woman with bipolar disorder in Channel 4's new millennial comedy. She speaks to Ellie Harrison about what the show tells us about her generation - and why it doesn't flinch from "the ugly side of mental illness".
Ellie Harrison, The Independent, 28th March 2024
Paul O'Grady's husband opens up on heartbreaking battle to save TV legend
Paul's widower Andre Portasio revealed when he first realised something was wrong.
Jane Matthews, The Sun, 28th March 2024
Big Mood review
The laughs are scarce in Nicola Coughlan's latest comedy, but the acting is superb.
Pat Stacey, The Independent (Ireland), 28th March 2024
Big Mood review
Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West comedy is a triumph.
Abby Robinson, Radio Times, 28th March 2024
Zeppotron inks deal with David Earl & Joe Wilkinson indie
Banijay UK's Zeppotron has signed an exclusive development deal with David Earl and Joe Wilkinson's production company, Big Oval Plate.
Jon Creamer, Televisual, 28th March 2024
Opening soon: Hot Water's new 560-seat home
Liverpool site will be one of the world's largest comedy clubs.
Chortle, 28th March 2024
Over 100 more shows added to Assembly's Edinburgh Fringe line-up
Summer is on the way and the festival season is hotting up, with Assembly Festival announcing a further 110 shows for this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 28th March 2024Big Mood review
Kooky bipolar comedy struggles to raise a chuckle.
Benji Wilson, The Telegraph, 28th March 2024Maisie Adam needs to "catch her breath" after hilarious Welsh family name discovery
In the post on Twitter, Maisie revealed a birth certificate which showed the name of her great-great-grandmother was Fanny Fudge, who was originally from west Cardiff. That's not where the comedy ends though because Fanny Fudge was formerly Fanny Pile.
Sam Cook, Wales Online, 28th March 2024
Book deal for Adrian Bliss
Adrian Bliss has signed a book deal to write The Greatest Nobodies Of History - a retelling of humanity's greatest moments, as told by some of its seemingly inconsequential bystander.
Chortle, 28th March 2024
Big Mood review
Nicola Coughlan is at her very best in this brave bipolar comedy.
Rachael Healy, i Newspaper, 28th March 2024
Jimmy Tarbuck gives his uncensored views on today's British comedy giants
Frank Skinner? "Too explicit". Rowan Atkinson? "A show-off".
Jenny Johnston, Daily Mail, 28th March 2024
My Mate's A Footballer: Patrick Bamford tests podcast co-host Joe Wilkinson's free-kicks
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford meets up with his My Mate's A Footballer podcast co-host, comedian Joe Wilkinson, for a free-kick challenge. Can Wilkinson finally prove himself to be the elite free-kick "specialist" that he claims he is?
BBC, 28th March 2024
Pierre Novellie: Why Are You Laughing? review
Amid all the oddballs doing stand-up, Pierre Novellie seems like one of the most well-adjusted: eloquent, composed and wearing his Cambridge-educated sophistication as proudly as his velvet jacket.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 28th March 2024
Ed Patrick: "I was mesmerised by stand-up"
Anaesthetist, author and comedian Ed Patrick is on his debut tour with Catch Your Breath, which follows the ups and downs of his life as a junior doctor. He tells us how he's balanced his two callings.
Ed Patrick, Square Mile, 28th March 2024
John B Hobbs obituary
Producer-director of many BBC television sitcoms who also ran evening classes and mounted musicals and pantomimes.
Anthony Hayward, The Guardian, 28th March 2024
Alex Horne and Greg Davies on 17 series of Taskmaster
After 17 series of playing minion to Greg Davies, you'd think Alex Horne would have his eyes on the Taskmaster's throne. But when the duo Zoomed in from a press day in New York - testament to its trans-Atlantic, if not global appeal - there were no signs of a mutiny. The long-suffering sidekick still knew his place.
Harrison Bennett, Royal Television Society, 28th March 2024
The Taskmaster effect: How a game show became the comedian's golden ticket
Up-and-coming comedians aren't focused on creating the next big sitcom or being on Live At The Apollo, as they would have a decade ago. No, they all wanted a spot on Taskmaster.
Isobel Lewis, i Newspaper, 28th March 2024
What today's 'mental health' comedies can learn from Richard Briers
From Fleabag to Channel 4's Big Mood, 'people with problems' sadcoms are TV's latest obsession. But sitcoms were once sadder - and funnier.
Gareth Roberts, The Telegraph, 28th March 2024
Nicola Coughlan and Camilla Whitehill on Big Mood
"We have left a lot of mental illnesses out of the mental health arena."
Abby Robinson, Radio Times, 28th March 2024
Big Mood review
Nicola Coughlan excels in this bipolar comedy.
Carol Midgley, The Times, 28th March 2024
Big Mood review
Nicola Coughlan has enormous fun as an anxious do-badder - but the comedy is unrefined.
Nick Hilton, The Independent, 28th March 2024
Big Mood on Channel 4 review
Witty, gritty and honest - everything Nicola Coughlan touches turns to gold.
Emma Loffhagen, Evening Standard, 28th March 2024
Wicked Little Letters review: prim, proper and profane
Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley elevate a comedy about a weird true tale of defamation and dirty words.
Alissa Wilkinson, The New York Times, 28th March 2024
Inside the cost-cutting decision to axe Frank Skinner from Absolute Radio
Frank Skinner's show stood out as an expense on the balance sheet, insiders claim.
Adam Sherwin, i Newspaper, 28th March 2024
Joanna Page slammed by fans after she brands Things You Should Have Done "boring" - but creator has last laugh
Joanna Page has received a slew of criticism from fans online after admitting she found the BBC comedy Things You Should Have Done "unbearable".
Laura Fox, Daily Mail, 28th March 2024
The Last Leg's Adam Hills' backtracking over Kate was cringe-worthy
Like every feeble, left-of-centre comedy, The Last Leg has a fixed set of bad guys: The Tories, Brexit, Donald Trump and the Royal Family.
Ally Ross, The Sun, 28th March 2024Videos
Online
Podcasts
TV & radio
6:30pm30 min
Conversations From A Long Marriage
Series 5, Episode 6 - Out Of TimeA spider rescue, a wedding and a huge shock. Can Joanna and Roger's marriage survive?
9pm45 min
Rob Beckett's Smart TV
Episode 5Anna Maxwell-Martin, Cush Jumbo and Romesh Ranganathan join regular Natasia Demetriou and captains Josh Widdicombe and Alison Hammond on the panel show celebrating the small screen.
9pm60 min
Taskmaster
Series 17, Episode 1 - Grappling With My LifeJoanne McNally, John Robins, Nick Mohammed, Sophie Willan and Steve Pemberton are the formidable five hoping to pass the Taskmaster's muster with their attempts to hunt for patatas, hoopla a gorilla and hug a special friend.
10pm30 min
Big Mood
Episode 1 - UpMaggie goes back to her old school to give a talk. But she's not there to inspire the children with her not-so-illustrious playwrighting career; she wants to find out if hot history teacher Mr Wilson still fancies her. Eddie tags along for the ride, leaving Klent in charge of her bar, Wet Mouth. Maggie soon realises that she's bitten off more than she can chew, and Eddie begins to question Maggie's behaviour.
10:30pm30 min
Big Mood
Episode 2 - DownMaggie is experiencing a depressive episode, but it's also her 30th birthday - and Eddie isn't going to let it pass by uncelebrated. Eddie drags Maggie out for the night, surprising her with a party full of friends and family. Maggie is determined to escape, while Eddie struggles to contain a rat infestation...