Al Murray

For a simple stand-up comedy show that's extremely patchy (generally the bits with McIntyre are funny, the rest are hit and miss), this has had impressive viewing figures. Could be the pull of the impish McIntyre or just that the conveyor belt of comics rolls past so quickly, there's no time to get bored. The Roadshow is in Brighton this week, where McIntyre gleefully skips around the stage before launching into a full-throttle set of observations about the town and a spot of ad-libbing as a result of his chat with audience member Sally Gunnell. There are loads of holiday-related gags along the lines of "Why do airports have a terminal? That's not a word you want to hear when you're getting on a plane" from McIntyre and headline act Al Murray. Inspired by a physics student in the audience, the pub landlord explains why planes can't really fly - a routine that runs the gamut of aviation history from the Wright Brothers to the Battle of Britain. But best guest comic for me is Jo Caulfield whose dry take on life is wickedly funny.

Last in this series of the comedy show hated by media luvvies. Will Al and his many characters get another outing - and at a decent time?

At last a British comedy that is funny, fast-paced and doesn't just rely on smut to get cheap laughs. It won't win any awards from the Equality And Human Rights Commission, but it will tickle your fancy.

Al Murray - aka The Pub Landlord - treats us to more of his new comedy creations. The Fast Show aside, sketch-based comedies tend to be hit and miss affairs. Mind you, this one certainly has more hits than BBC3's Horne and Cordless, and you can't blame Al for wanting a few nights away from his Pub Landlord.

Al Murray - the world through the bottom of a glass

All hail Al Murray: he hasn't flinched from populating his TV sketch show with folk as fruity as a gay Nazi in pink PVC - even if he has been accused of gay bashing, not least in a scathing Times review.

The sketch show, RIP? You're joking

The critics have put the boot into Horne & Corden and declared the sketch show finished. Rubbish, says David Baddiel: sketch comedy is what we Brits do best. He and other comics reveal the secrets of their craft.

A hidden and unexpected gem in last year's schedules was The Convention Crasher, in which Justin Lee Collins did his best at being Louis Theroux, if Louis decided to hang out with Clowns and Magicians rather than Bloods and Crips. Surprisingly, this worked and gave JLC a little bit of cred, a little bit of "he's alright actually". So with Al Murray dipping his toe into the sharky waters of the sketch show (awful) ITV1 had room for a bit of light-hearted Friday chat. What does it tell us that Justin has been shovelled onto ITV2, on a Thursday? It means it's all back to default JLC: big beard, ironic retro t-shirt and shouting.

Bruce Dessau Review

At times it is so blatantly end-of-the-pier it seems like this kind of retro-humour must surely be being ironic and knowing. There is even a camp war reporter ("It's all kicking off. It's nuts") played by Mathew Horne, who, like Al Murray's current camp Nazi in his ITV1 sketch show is so over the top it is as if alternative comedy never happened.

Review in The Stage

It is hard not to like Al Murray, but with each episode of Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder it is getting progressively easier.

When it comes to character-based sketch shows, Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have set the bar high, and Al Murray has chosen to walk underneath it. This is very lazy comedy, both in the performances and in the writing. Is there anyone out there who really thinks the world needs another Dragon's Den pastiche?

Far from showcasing Murray's versatility, it merely serves to expose his very limited abilities as an actor, with most of the sketches chronically dependent upon ridiculous costumes and cod accents to get laughs.

The show is a huge and surprising disappointment, given Murray's comedy pedigree. None of the characters come within a mile of Murray's Pub Landlord for originality or sophistication, and some are so ill conceived as to be borderline offensive. The outrageous gay Nazi on Hitler's chief of staff would have been funny if it had mocked Nazis, or Hitler, or homophobia even. But the sketch's comedy ambitions fell far short of making any satirical point whatsoever, and Hitler came out of it better than Murray did.

Is Al Murray's gay Nazi homophobic?

Homophobia, gay stereotypes, anti-gay humour and backchat - unlike racism and sexism - has become acceptable. It isn't.