Bobby Ball

Bobby Ball and Don Maclean to teach vicars comedy

Church leaders have recruited veteran comedians Bobby Ball and Don Maclean - plus a David Cameron lookalike - to teach Midland clergymen a sense of humour.

Bobby Ball: 'People see me as a lovable little fat man'

Comedy legend Bobby Ball, 71, on the highs and lows of being in showbiz, domestic bliss and why he just wants to be a baddie...

Radio Times review

Slacker Lee, in pyjama bottoms, slumped in front of the telly, eating cereal straight from the box, is at the eye of a big festive occasion. But his pint-sized Death Star, his dad Frank (the peerless Bobby Ball) looms large. Or, rather, small.

Inevitably, this means the pair of them get drunk, and their night on the tiles is encapsulated in a brilliant montage of increasing degradation. It's a classic Not Going Out sequence in an episode that's surprisingly poignant. Maybe it's something to do with the time of year.

There are loads of great gags from Lee Mack, the human joke-rocket-launcher, while the stately Geoffrey Whitehead, as Lucy's fridge-freezer father, steals every scene. And watch out for some special guests...

Radio Times review

Lee's decrepit dad Frank (Bobby Ball) is dossing in Lucy's pristine flat (how can she afford such a wonderful place in London? What does she do for a living?) and he's drinking too much.

Not Going Out totters into potentially difficult territory as Lucy, Daisy and a highly reluctant Lee (Lee Mack) decide to stage an intervention after Frank wees on the yucca plant, to tell him of their fears he's turned into an alcoholic. There's a lot of comic unde'cutting of some difficult situations, including a group session at a rehab centre that becomes very uncomfortable.

But this is Not Going Out and not a Russell Brand treatise, so we expect tastelessness, even if in this case it feels just a bit off-key.

Women are either dizzy or gutsy in Mount Pleasant and Lisa (Sally Lindsay) falls into the second category, which is unfortunate for Fergus, who'' trying to cover up his work blunders and hang on to new employee Angie. Over at the house, mysterious Tanya (Samantha Womack) and Bradley (Nigel Harman) finally reveal why they're on the run after Greg realises they're in danger. That's the drama covered, so in the comedy corner, Bobby Ball leads the charge at a car boot sale. Great cast, great comfort telly.

Mount Pleasant is back

Sally Lindsay is thrilled to be back for a fourth series and says Bobby Ball is more than happy to get stuck into the nappy changing and bottle making.

Cannon & Ball in big play debut

Bobby Ball has written a play which will be premiered at Lowther Pavilion next year - and it will star not only him, but his comedy partner Tommy Cannon as well.

Lucy is taking a course in counselling. This, of course, is a red rag to Lee's pawing, snorting, unreconstructed bull, who soon takes up the challenge to be her guinea pig, with the ultimate aim of getting his leg over. It's an overly familiar setup and one that makes those frequent comparisons between Not Going Out and Men Behaving Badly seem justified. At any rate, it soon transpires that Lee has father issues, in the shape and size of Bobby Ball, who might well be able to shed some light on matters.

In the first two episodes, the gap left by the departed Tim Vine's character was filled with farcical plots. Tonight, things calm down and we veer as close to emotion as this endearingly flippant series gets. Lucy is doing night classes in psychotherapy, so Lee (Lee Mack, a Graham Norton guest tonight) mocks the whole idea - before submitting to counselling himself. Perhaps his failure with relationships has roots in his upbringing?

Enter Bobby Ball as Lee's dad. There are deeper waters than usual under the gags, but dim friend Daisy keeps it light. Daisy: "You said you wanted to damage the bike!" Lucy: "No, I said I wanted to break the cycle."

Review: Peter Wight and Bobby Ball shine

Overall I really enjoyed The Security Men and I have to say I laughed at least four or five times. Aherne and Pope have crafted some brilliant characters and put them in the most boring of situations. I felt that Peter Wight shone the most as the incredibly anal Kenneth.