Bob Mortimer

Vic and Bob interview

Around 20 years after first working together Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, aka Vic and Bob, are still going strong...

When Shooting Stars returned last year after a lengthy hiatus, it felt tired and superfluous. Surprisingly, however, it appears to have recovered its mojo, seemingly because Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer are obviously enjoying themselves a lot more. And when Vic and Bob enjoy themselves, all right thinking people follow suit.

The latest episode featured all the inspired lunacy, knowingly terrible gags and questions such as "true or false: the Dutch language started as a joke that got out of hand" that you'd want from an above-par edition of this anarchic quiz show. The sketch in which Vic appeared as a sinister hunchback with a tiny plastic horse affixed to his philtrum was one of the funniest things I've seen in ages, proving that the duo are still capable of creating unique comedy from the most inexplicable sources.

Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer are back with their rather tired celebrity gameshow. Still, there are some enjoyably silly "true or false?" questions and the score-keeper, Angelos Epithemiou's dishevelled dimwit, is a funny replacement for Matt Lucas's "George Dawes". Guests tonight are pop star Example, Hairy Biker Si King, former Strictly dancer Camilla Dallerup and EastEnders actress Linda Henry.

Anyone who remembers the joyously strange experience of watching Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's quiz show when it first appeared in the early 1990s can forgive it almost anything. And they've needed to: it grew tired and staggered on past its natural life span. Then BBC2 revived it for a Christmas special in 2008 and what should have been a museum piece worked better than expected. Now George Dawes, the "big baby" drummer/scorer created by Matt Lucas has gone, to be replaced by shambling burger van owner Angelos Epithemiou (the excellent Renton Skinner). But the blend of surreal sight gags - at one stage a pair of disembodied legs walks across the set unremarked - and daft questions remains the same. Highlights tonight include panellist Jack Dee (with "a face like a scalded sea cadet", according to Vic) having to play a toy drum every time he wants to speak and a brilliant parody of Kerry Katona's TV ads for Iceland. Look out for the sticky potato pistols.

Vic & Bob 'proud' of 'Families At War'

"Families At War was a stupendous show... I don't think you'll ever see a show like that on a Saturday night again," Reeves told DS.

Shooting Stars interview

Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer are sitting behind their desk on the set of their cult panel show Shooting Stars. Perched as I am on a chair facing them, it feels like I'm there for a job interview.

Bob Mortimer: 'Shooting Stars is different'

Bob Mortimer has revealed that the new series of Shooting Stars is different.

Bob Mortimer interview

Bob Mortimer reveals more about the series in which Ulrikka Jonsson and Jack Dee captain the celebrity teams, while Vic and Bob pose the questions - and really want to see those fingers!

Lucas quits Shooting Stars quiz

Little Britain star Matt Lucas has said he will not be appearing in the new series of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's BBC show Shooting Stars.

This could possibly be the most deranged variety show you'll ever see, the only place on earth where you can watch Christopher Biggins pretending to be Boris Johnson, and Jerry Hall impersonating Katie Price. If that doesn't draw you in, how about Joe Pasquale as Lady Ga-Ga? Or Ulrika Jonsson as David Beckham? No? Surely Vanessa Feltz masquerading as James May is irresistible. As is Eamonn Holmes as Elvis Presley. And David Gest as Elton John. Les Dennis as Gary Barlow... The list goes on, and just gets odder. The All Star Impressions Show could be completely awful or it could be enjoyably barmy. It certainly has a very good pedigree, being co-produced by Steve Coogan's and Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's production companies. And it has a certain surreal gloss that could be quite winning. Harry Hill will make a guest appearance, though we don't know whether he will reprise the Morrissey impression that won him Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes all those years ago.