Armando Iannucci

[p=7409][Janice] Hadlow] is delighted that Iannucci will present a programme about his enduring passion for the poetry of John Milton, and she is even more excited that his comedy series will originate for the first time on BBC2. "The Thick Of It is a work of comedy genius that was nurtured on BBC4, became bigger and bigger and we feel should be on BBC2."

The new series featuring [Rebecca] Front, who worked with Iannucci on shows including The Day Today and I'm Alan Partridge, is expected to pay close attention to the workings of David Cameron's Conservative publicity machine, as well as starring the infamous New Labour spinmeister Malcom Tucker (played by Peter Capaldi).

Iannucci in talks with HBO over US Thick of It

Comedy writer and director Armando Iannucci has re-entered talks with HBO to create a US version of BBC political satire The Thick of It.

All change for Thick of It cast?

One thing Armando Iannucci may well be doing is sitting at a desk somewhere writing the new series of The Thick of It. Which, in the wake of In the Loop, is going to be massively anticipated, unspeakably brilliant and, more importantly, extremely confusing. Because while In the Loop's furious and profane Malcolm Tucker and even more furious sidekick Jamie have just helped start a war, the rest of The Thick of It's band of spineless miscreants were conspicuous in their absence.

Armando Iannucci: Making In The Loop

I managed to break into the State Department when I was out in DC researching the movie. I had a terrible, amateur BBC identity pass, with basically my face printed off Google and my name under it. A child could have produced it in twenty seconds.

Look who's talking

The picture has much to recommend it, though no one could accuse it of being aesthe­tically arresting. It trades in the wobbly camerawork and abrupt editing that would have been called vérité in more innocent times, but Iannucci's control of image is not always as accomplished as his insights into language.

In cinemas tomorrow is In the Loop, more or less the best British comedy I've ever seen. The dialogue in the film is incredible and includes some simply breathtaking bits of swearing. They've effectively elevated saying the word "fuck" into an art-form in its own right - up there with poetry and opera.

You could make it up

As a plot, it sounds far-fetched. A spat between political bloggers. A Downing Street adviser writes scurrilous e-mails about smearing the opposition. The story comes out and he resigns. All played out over a bank holiday weekend. Except that you could make it up - and it's likely that writer Armando Iannucci already has.

The Thick of It to return

A further eight episodes of BBC satirical comedy The Thick of It are in the pipeline, creator Armando Iannucci has confirmed. Iannucci said in an update today on social networking site Twitter that he was working on eight new scripts.

That's me and him from The Sopranos

In the Loop - a political farce set in London and Washington - is the brilliant cinematic debut of Armando Iannucci. Here, in a candid behind-the-scenes diary, the satirist reveals the joys of playing basketball with star James Gandolfini and the pleasure of a hometown screening in front of his eightysomething mum ...

In the Loop review

Anticipation surrounding Armando Iannucci's film directing debut has been high, as befits arguably the most influential man in British comedy over the last two decades, and In The Loop exceeds almost all of those expectations.