Alistair McGowan

For me, Kind Hearts and Coronets is my favourite of the Ealing Comedies. As a result I was somewhat worried by the fact that someone would want to make a sequel to it.

In this story, following the death of Duke Louis (Dennis Price in the film), his wife Lady Edith takes the title, refusing to recognise the claim issued by Louis's biological daughter Unity Holland (played by Natalie Walter). Unity decides to get the title the old fashioned way - murdering all the other claimants...

The story sees Unity beginning her murder spree in 1939, through World War Two and after it. She then starts to kill the seven claimants: Lady Edith Gascoyne, fighter pilot Louis Gascoyne, spiv Henry Gascoyne, far-right twins Adalbert and Ughtred Gascoyne, socialist Marmaduke Gascoyne, and rubbish poet Ronald Gascoyne, all of whom are played by Alistair McGowan.

McGowan obviously has it easier than Guinness did. For starters, two of the characters are twins so they can have the same sort of voice. Also, Marmaduke suffers from a stutter so that gives another silly voice to play with.

However, it seems to have pulled it off. I don't think that this story is in any way a sort of sacrilege against the original; after all, the film changes bits from the original novel (in the novel the murderer was half-Jewish, not half-Italian).

An entertaining tale, then, with a nice story and set up...

Tricky though the film Kind Hearts and Coronets must have been for the many-roled Alec Guinness, it was almost certainly a doddle compared with Alistair McGowan's feat of portraying seven members of the Gascoyne family by voice alone, in yesterday's sequel. That there was never any doubt as to who was supposed to be whom was a tribute to his rightly lauded mimetic powers.

Kind Hearts and Coronets: Like Father, Like Daughter saw Unity Holland (daughter of the original film's killer, played by Dennis Price) seeking her rightful inheritance by knocking off the six sons of Lady Edith Gascoyne. It provided a lovely, featherlight way to while away an hour, nicely written by David Spicer, with Natalie Walter as the engagingly amoral Unity. When war breaks out, she records: "I offered to do my bit for King and country, but - rather shortsightedly in my case - women were deemed incapable of killing."

Radio Times review

Some sequels or re-imaginings should never have been allowed - Speed 2 and the Gus Van Sant Psycho remake spring to mind. I am happy to report that this follow-on from where Kind Hearts and Coronets ended, with the infamous mass murderer's bastard baby daughter picking up where her father left off, is an absolute delight.

It does not attempt to replicate the classic comedy's unique style, merely borrows the idea of killing off all the members of the ghastly Gascoyne family who stand in the way of a mighty inheritance. Natalie Walter gets the easy role as the illegitimate child with a murderous chip on her shoulder.

But who dares to play the whole of the Gascoyne family, the roles that Alec Guinness so famously made his own, eight times over, in the film? A man of many voices - Alistair McGowan. And he is, quite simply, brilliant.

You don't have to have seen the classic 1949 film of Kind Hearts and Coronets (with Dennis Price as the villainous Louis Mazzini murdering his way through all the D'Ascoynes, each one played by Alec Guinness, for the family fortune) to enjoy David Spicer's radio sequel.

Time has rolled on, we're in the 20th century. Unity Holland (Natalie Walter) is up against many other claimants to the earldom, each played by clever Alistair McGowan and all of them ruthless.

With Rory Bremner no longer a regular presence on our screens, and the likes of Jon Culshaw, Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona failing to deliver much bite, there was a definite gap in the market for a risk-taking, quick-witted impressions show - until about three weeks ago, when this excellent series abruptly filled it. It showcases a handful of enjoyably sharp sketches lampooning the likes of Bear Grylls, Simon Cowell, the Gallagher brothers, Fearne Cotton and Amy Childs. Particular highlights are Brian Cox admitting that he buys his vintage leather jackets from Urban Outfitters, and Adele singing her drinks order to a barman in a pub.

This sparklingly funny documentary, part of a series on different aspects of British light entertainment which originally went out in 2006, explores the role that impressionists have played in British entertainment over the last 50 years. Its subjects range from Mike Yarwood's pitch-perfect lambasting of Harold Wilson in the Sixties up to the present-day work of Ronni Ancona and Alistair McGowan.

Floppy-collared funnyman Harry Hill has bid an emotional farewell to fans after recording the final episode of his TV Burp comedy series.

The much-loved comic told the audience to ignore rumours that he had agreed to make another series - and confirmed that tonight's episode would bring down the curtain after 11 series on ITV.

The broadcaster made a multi-million pound offer to make one more series, but Hill, 47, stuck to his plans and quit.

Audience member, Zoe McCallister, posted a photo of the cast and crew online after the final filming session on Thursday and wrote: "Definitely the last ever one.

"Just been in the audience. Harry said not to take notice of the rumours. It is probably the best episode of TV Burp in years."

The show will air tonight featuring ex-EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison alongside regular characters Brian Belo, the Lord Sugar puppet and wild child Wagbo.

A second audience member, Jason, wrote online: "Not sure about anyone else, but I felt teary at the end."

In January, Hill said the satirical show would bow out with a "huge" finale and he is now working on a sports panel game with Alistair McGowan.

But an ITV source yesterday insisted the broadcaster was still hopeful the comic would reconsider.

"Harry has been a hugely popular part of the ITV schedule for many years, and the management would undoubtedly prefer him to stay here," he said.

"There will be many more discussions with Harry over the coming weeks, and we are hopeful a deal can yet be reached."

Video: Funny stars in new Fairtrade ad

Alistair McGowan, Jessica Hynes, and The Sun's comedy critic Tommy Holgate appear in a new advert to promote Fairtrade Fortnight.

Frank Skinner is going to regret this episode for the rest of his life. Days after the announcement of the comedian's impending fatherhood, he puts "children" in the bin. OK, so he's aided and abetted by Alistair McGowan, who made the suggestion in the first place, but this is going to become top-class emotional leverage for Skinner Junior later on in life.

McGowan does warn us that he's morphed into a latter-day Victor Meldrew, but it's surprising just how angry he seems (perhaps the wind changed when he was filming Grumpy Old Men). Skinner's other guests are Dragon Hilary Devey and singer/songwriter Josh Groban, who can't compete with McGowan's glower.

Gruff-voiced businesswoman and Dragons' Den regular Hilary Devey, impressionist Alistair McGowan and American singer Josh Groban are Frank Skinner's guests on tonight's edition of the comedy panel show. As ever, there are no shortage of pet hates to be discussed, with particular vitriol reserved for supermarkets, the smoking ban and Valentine's Day.