Al Murray

Pub landlord reveals his literary side

Al Murray, the bar-room comic, is making a documentary about his ancestor William Makepeace Thackeray.

Al Murray to present new BBC4 show on German culture

New two-part show will sidestep Nazism and focus on German art and architecture.

Al Murray's first gig - introducing Harry Hill in 1994

To mark Al Murray's big London show next week at Hammersmith Apollo, his new book out and a DVD, the real Al Murray spoke to London is Funny about his Pub Landlord character's debut outing (never confused).

The BBC's successful Grumpy Old franchise - in which various aged or ageing TV pundits are encouraged to grouse on about a given topic - rolls on with this new programme focusing on the supposedly cheerful experience of mandatory education. Expect wry classroom anecdotage from the likes of Al Murray, Shappi Khorsandi, Ronni Ancona and Mark Radcliffe.

The BBC's successful Grumpy Old franchise - in which various aged or ageing TV pundits are encouraged to grouse on about a given topic - rolls on with this new programme focusing on the supposedly cheerful experience of mandatory education. Expect wry classroom anecdotage from the likes of Al Murray, Shappi Khorsandi, Ronni Ancona and Mark Radcliffe.

Witter: Al Murray

The world's fastest interview - 140 characters per answer. The 41-year-old Pub Landlord comedian on politics and Pamela Anderson.

Frank Skinner's TV appearances have been sporadic since he gave up his ITV1 chat show in 2005. This is the first full TV series of his comeback, a kind of comedy Question Time, with Skinner and two guest comedians discussing a topical issue before a "highly opinionated" studio audience. Something along the lines of Fantasy Football League, then, but reflecting Skinner's growing interest in politics. Each show will be recorded only shortly before transmission, but we can reveal that this first edition will feature comics Miranda Hart and Al Murray.

Russell Howard has got his Good News over on BBC3; now it's the turn of craggy-faced legend Frank Skinner to riff off the week's headlines. To shake up the theme, each show is filmed in a different part of the country, with two different comedians in tow. For tonight's promising series opener, Skinner is in London with Al Murray and Miranda Hart.

Al Murray interview

Al Murray, 41, started his stand-up career in the 1990s, eventually finding success with his xenophobic Pub Landlord.

He might be a friend of Ricky Gervais and a radio panel game regular, but Robin Ince isn't your average stand-up. He also runs a comedy institution called The Book Club, which involves him reading aloud from random second-hand tomes, and is a vocal atheist who curates gigs themed around science, Darwin and rationalism. This is a TV version of his festive variety show 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People, which combines gags from Dara O'Briain, Al Murray, Shappi Khorsandi and Chris Addison with music, plus more intellectual fare from scientists and writers - the movement's daddy, Richard Dawkins, among them. Stimulating stuff.