Cat Deeley

More excruciating humour from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. They certainly succeed at painting a pathetic figure in dwarf actor Warwick Davis, the star of this "mockumentary", but whether you can bear to watch is another question. This week Warwick is beaten up by his accountant during divorce proceedings with his wife. He then tries to drum up some celebrities to come to his housewarming party, but ends up shelling out to book Cat Deeley and inevitably humiliating himself in front of his date. The slapstick provides the comedy while Warwick's eternally optimistic desperation is enough to make you wince.

Cat Deeley lands role in Ricky Gervais dwarf sitcom

Cat Deeley has reportedly bagged her first big acting part in Ricky Gervais's new dwarf sitcom, Life's Too Short.

This is Peter Kay's first major new work on TV for four years in which he spoofs - you guessed it - reality talent shows with characteristic accuracy and affection. Cat Deeley presents a 'live final' of an X-Factor-style extravaganza and it's down to three finalists - R Wayne, foursome 2 Up 2 Down, and Geraldine, played by Kay himself. The judges are Neil Fox, Nicki Chapman and Pete Waterman, and the results follow straight after a documentary about his record-breaking 2002 stand-up tour. If you are doing something else on Sunday night, you probably shouldn't be.

Peter Kay's first new TV comedy work for four years has been heavily trailed by Channel 4, and who can blame them? I still think Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere was a brutal misfire for the popular (and undeniably brilliant) comic actor, but hopefully this will bring him back to comedy greatness. The explosion of reality talent shows might be an easy target for satire, but Kay, steeped in popular TV culture, should be able to get something from the show. Kay is Geraldine, a finalist on a talent show, hosted by Cat Deeley and judged by Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox. But is Geraldine keeping a deep, dark secret, and will 'she' win out in the end?

Strictly come spoofing

Since Peter Kay became one of the hottest talents on television, through Phoenix Nights and standup, there has been understandable excitement about where he might go next on TV. It turns out that he has chosen to go for TV: the tongue-busting title of his new Channel 4 show, broadcast this Sunday, is Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Strictly on Ice - a highly evolved satire on reality TV.

Using genuine personnel from wannabe programmes (presenter Cat Deeley, judges Nicki Chapman and Pete Waterman), Kay has devised a competition between fictional contestants, including Kay himself in drag as big-hearted chanteuse Geraldine. For extra realism, the send-ups will be broadcast in two parts on the same night: an early evening heat and a late-night results show.