Colin Firth

Joseph Fiennes (where's he been lately, eh?) is the titular playwright, here a struggling up-and-comer suffering from writer's block on his latest script, provisionally titled Romeo And Ethel, The Pirate's Daughter. What with women being forbidden to act on stage, Shakespeare casts a youth called Thomas Kent as Romeo, only to discover 'he' is actually a rich man's daughter (Gwyneth Paltrow).

However, their true love instantly hits obstacles: he's poor and already married, she's betrothed to Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) and, from thence onwards, the course of true love never runs smooth. It's brilliantly witty, light and packed with superb performances including Judi Dench who won a best supporting Oscar as Queen Elizabeth despite only being on screen for eight minutes.

Cartoonist Ronald Searle's naughty public schoolgirls are back - this time rebooted for the 21st century. So as well as the sexy sixth formers, the rabble of lacrosse-stick waving young'uns are now split into cliques such as geeks and emos. Despite a cast over-crammed with the likes of Russell Brand and Stephen Fry, Ealing Studios' kidult comedy could never rival the golden 1950s black-and-white classics starring Alastair Sim and Joyce Grenfell. But try not to compare them and it is a jolly enough, if surprisingly 'safe', watch - no Asbos here, just girlish high spirits. It's worth seeing just to catch Rupert Everett, in headscarf and tweeds, as headmistress Camilla Fritton - think a mix of Ab Fab's Patsy and the former Mrs Parker-Bowles. His seduction of Colin Firth's nervous school inspector is even more of a hoot than your French teacher sitting on a whoopee cushion.

Modern British farce - anything post-Carry On - is tricky to pull off: witness the dire remake of Run For Your Wife, released in cinemas last month, which quite rightly took less than £700 on its opening weekend. But John Cleese's 1988 heist comedy caper is a multi-award-winning classic. Cleese stars as married uptight barrister Archie Leach (the sort of part Colin Firth would play today) who falls for a sexy jewel thief called Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis). However, it's Kevin Kline's Oscar-winning turn as Wanda's psychotic, armpit-sniffing, Neitzsche-reading 'brother', Otto, who steals the film while Michael Palin puts in adorable comedy support as an animal-loving stutterer called Ken. Simply Wandaful.

Jack Whitehall in talks to play his own father

Jack Whitehall won't need to research one future role. Bizarre's Comedian of the Year wants to play his agent dad Michael - who represented the likes of Colin Firth and Richard E. Grant - in a TV version of his book Shark Infested Waters.

Audio: Curtis sorry over Comic Relief stammer sketch

Richard Curtis, one of the founders of Comic Relief, apologises for any offence caused by a Lenny Henry sketch which joked about stammering.

Referring to the skit, which was based around Colin Firth's performance in the movie The King's Speech, Curtis tells BBC Radio 5 Live: "I would apologise for that."

"It was meant to be a big joke about a very famous film," the comedy writer tells Nicky Campbell on 5 Live Breakfast. "I am sorry."

Colin Firth 'would like to try comedy role'

Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth has said that would like to turn his hand to comedy after picking up his gong for Best Actor at the Academy Awards in LA on Sunday night.

Renée Zellweger returns as the thirtysomething with more frothy romantic shenanigans in an inferior sequel to the first film. Bridget, having spent "eight blissful weeks" in a relationship with dashing Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), is single again. But thankfully her ex, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) is at hand to provide distraction.

We always welcome more TV time given over to Reginald D Hunter. Unfortunately, the format's a bit clunky in this new series, which sees Hunter teaming up with Andy Hamilton and special guests to chew over a new theory posited by an expert in their field. Still, Hunter does roll out some gems, with tonight's highlight being an argument between himself and Clare Balding over the virtues of Colin Firth. You can probably guess who wins.