More details on BBC2's Thursdays are Funny
BBC Two have sent us more information about the comedies they'll be showing this autumn. Peter Serafinowicz will be joining some of Britain's best known comedic talent including Jack Dee, Simon Amstell, Jennifer Saunders and Graham Norton to make Thursday nights on BBC Two "the funniest by far".
The new Thursday night line-up starts with The Life And Times Of Vivienne Vyle at 9pm. Co-written by and starring Jennifer Saunders, the series is a dark, comedic look at the daytime talk show format with straight talking host Vivienne Vyle (pictured). She's Sally, Ricki Lake, Jeremy Kyle and Dr Phil all rolled into one; but her ambition knows no bounds - she wants to be Oprah.
Jam packed with confessions and shocking revelations, every day before a live audience, Vivienne addresses the big issues in life such as: "My Son Calls The Wrong Man Daddy" and "I Want A Vagina, but can't kick the crack."
Preview clip:
Then at 9:30pm you'll be able to join comic actor Peter Serafinowicz as he morphs into a visual cacophony of characters in his new show - The Peter Serafinowicz Show. Through his impressions of familiar faces, Serafinowicz creates a wacky world where the likes of Al Pacino and Simon Cowell mingle with his own quirky creations, like impressively incompetent businessman Brian Butterfield and robot chat-show host, Michael-6.
Taking a look at the best and worst of today's TV and film, The Peter Serafinowicz Show will also play host to television's most futile game shows (like Heads or Tails?) and offers the 'celebrity' interviews you won’t see anywhere else on the entertainment news channel O! News. Here's the teaser trailer:
Once the Mitchell and Webb repeat run finishes in the 10pm slot, Graham Norton will be returning for another series of The Graham Norton Show (from 11th October). As normal, Norton will be inviting an array of celebrity guests to explore the trends, stories and culture that interest him most.
Then in November the comedy line up continues with two returning series...
Simon Amstell will be hosting another series of the rejuvenated Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Celebrity guests from the worlds of entertainment and music are primed for embarrassment and the occasional ribbing. The show has a satirical edge that proves the world of pop should never be taken too seriously.
And Jack Dee will be returning as Rick Spleen in the new series of Lead Balloon, a sitcom The British Sitcom Guide loves. Rick's back - and as he will tell you, he's on the way up, his career is going from strength to strength and he's never been so popular. In other words, he's still the same old self-deluded liar, making a living from corporate gigs, low-rent chat shows and hoping for the big break.
There's plenty to pre-occupy Rick. From the points on his driving licence to the shadowy hitman he is convinced is on his tail, Rick's problems are always on his mind, and almost always of his own making. Then of course, there's the trickiest problem of all - how does he lie his way out of them?