Chris Addison

A new comedy on E4, Show & Tell (fronted by Chris Addison) features three up-and-coming guest comedians talking about various items that they've brought with them.

In this week's opening episode, Welsh stand-up Elis James brought in a practically ancient pair of underpants which seem to have dated before he was even born. Roisin Conaty (winner of last year's Edinburgh Newcomer Award) talked about a video she watched when she was 13 which turned out to be a porn film; and sand-dancer (which, for anyone outside of the North East, means "South Shields resident") Chris Ramsey recalled about an incident with a nutter and an umbrella in a canal.

As well as this Addison asked his panel to bring in something relating to a particular subject, and then got the audience to talk about things they wanted to show.

Never too bogged down in the prepared material from James, Conaty and Ramsey, this is a very enjoyable show. And any programme which gives lesser known stand-ups a platform to perform on is worth promoting (admittedly Conaty is an award winner, but she isn't a household name by any stretch). But even when going off script the comics get decent laughs out of their props, whether it's James asking Conaty to cut out some of his underpant gusset or the unusual uses for a toy gorilla. It isn't the funniest show you'll ever see, but with the competitive element of panel shows removed it's much more relaxing.

The always brilliant Chris Addison presents a new comedy panel show in which guests bring an object of interest to talk about. Up-and-coming comedians Chris Ramsay, Roisin Conaty and Elis James are his guests. These new comic voices are refreshing on a panel show and James should go on to be huge if tonight is anything to go by. It rattles along like an extremely enjoyable night in the pub, totally unforced, benefiting from Addison's easy charm. Properly funny.

As host Chris Addison explains, the meeting to come up with a name for this show would have been very short, as it's just rising comics telling funny stories about things they've brought in.

Tonight's likeable stand-ups include Roisin Conaty - awarded best newcomer at last year's Edinburgh Festival - and Welsh comedian Elis James.

The latter's item is a pair of ancient pants he's held on to for nostalgic reasons. And if he's kept these, what else has he stashed away?

I have nightmare visions of a flat packed to the rafters with significant bus tickets and sentimental kebab wrappers.

The audience also gets to take part, which is almost always a dangerous move. The two items that people hand over tonight will make you go "ewww".

On second thoughts, they should have called this The Put That Down, You Don't Know Where It's Been Show.

Here's what the world needs right now: another comedy panel show. Except there's no panel, and there are none of the same old tired faces doing the rounds. Instead, three bright young comics lounge on the sofa, waiting patiently for gangly host Chris Addison to invite them to perform short routines about an object they've brought in.

It's all very good-natured and feels quite loosely structured, like watching a group of friends joking around in their front room. Roisin Conaty (best newcomer at last year's Edinburgh Festival), Al Murray's support act Chris Ramsey, and engaging Welshman Elis James all spin great yarns from inconsequential matters. But they are trumped by an audience member's weird story about his childhood toy gorilla - Chris Addison throws the toy away in disgust.

Q&A: Chris Addison

The Thick of It star on his TV likes and dislikes.

This topical panel show can always be guaranteed to provide a few belly laughs.

And unlike Have I Got News for You, it doesn't matter if you've been hiding under a rock for the past week and haven't got a clue what's been going on in the world.

The topical bit is used loosely. Instead it's more an excuse for stand-up comedians to show their wares, with Dara O Briain at the helm.

Joining show regulars Hugh Dennis, Andy Parsons and Chris Addison is my own personal favourite stand-up, Micky Flanagan, up-and-coming comic Nathan Caton and Canada's king of the one-liners Stewart Francis (if you love your comedy, you'll recognise him from an episode of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow - he was the guy who opened with: "Don't worry, I haven't heard of you either").

Considering the show's format, which is just made for killer one-liners, tonight's episode promises to be even funnier than normal.

The contracts are coming at Chris Addison thick and fast these days: Skins; those ubiquitous Direct Line ads; then later this month he's presenting Show & Tell, a new E4 stand-up show in which up-and-coming comics do a short routine on a random object. In addition, to all that comes this six-week stint on Mock The Week - a show he is no stranger to, and which has badly needed a new permanent member since Frankie Boyle and Russell Howard left for pastures new.

This week saw Mock the Week enter into double-figures as the show entered its 10th series. Judging by the latest episode, it's set to continue for some time to come.

Without Russell Howard, the show guest starred Chris Addison, Greg Davies, Milton Jones and Seann Walsh. Out of the guests, it was Jones, with his surreal and clever one-liners, and Walsh, who came up with the best Michael McIntyre impression I've ever come across, who stole the show. The other comics had moments too, with Davies coming up with a Blackadderesque extended simile about his grandmother's use of facial products.

There was some interesting stuff from the regulars as well, such as Dara O'Briain introducing a round called: "There's No Super-injunction on our Ryan Gags", and Hugh Dennis's running joke about Sepp Blatter's name sounding like the German for "step ladder".

Annoyingly, like in so many satirical comedies, many of the jokes were lazy. Addison did one about Eric Pickles and his weight, while Walsh made one about Wayne Rooney's stupidity. Walsh also got a rather cheap laugh from making up a taunted schoolboy called Richard Poowillie.

There was a time when Mock the Week felt like Have I Got News for You's spikier younger brother. Its brow was low. Its comedy jeans hung at half-mast. In any given show you could be sure of jokes involving sex, drugs and royalty (or if Frankie Boyle was involved, all three at once). But Boyle has moved on and, for the time being, so has fellow stalwart Russell Howard, and the comedy in this topical panel show feels more comfortable and less subversive these days. As the tenth series begins, Dara O'Briain is still keeping order, with Andy Parsons and Outnumbered star Hugh Dennis as the key comics, ready to step forward and attempt to outgun each other on any given topic. Tonight they are joined by the smart and funny Chris Addison (from The Thick of It) and Greg Davies (Mr Gilbert from The Inbetweeners).