David Walliams

Last Night's TV - David Walliams' Awfully Good, C4

He's got to be having a laugh.

David Walliams appears to have found his calling, hosting the first of three two-hour shows dedicated to camp so-bad-it's-good-ness. Tonight, he picks the most misguided scenes on TV, including clips from the BBC's black music show Blackcurrent, broadcast in 1978, though presumably Little Britain's Ting Tong gets a free pass. In future episodes, expect Keanu's clunking performance in Bram Stoker's Dracula and some "flatulence-deodorising underpants".

Fresh from bringing his new comedy Come Fly with Me to our screens over Christmas, David Walliams (above) presents this compendium of guilty viewing pleasures: two hours' worth of clips from the television shows, films and adverts that are "so bad, they're good" (the programme-makers' promise, not ours). These include everything from Keanu Reeves being out-acted by a wooden stake in Bram Stoker's Dracula to the embarrassing roaring shark from Jaws 4: The Revenge and excruciating attempts by the BBC to get hip in the 1970s.

You may think that Harry Hill has cornered the market in raising laughs from the absurdities of television with TV Burp, but here David Walliams is taking a much wider remit, looking at not just TV but also cinema and ads. Walliams's conceit is that there are some ideas that are so ill-conceived and misguided, they become fascinating entertainment. His case is made with just the title of the BBC's 1978 contemporary black music show, Blackcurrent. It ran for one episode. And while everyone loves the scouts on the rollercoaster on Jim'll Fix It, who remembers the kid whose heart's desire was to eat a lemon in front of a brass band? Essentially this is a clips show, but Walliams's arch delivery and the sheer oddity of some of what's on display should elevate it above the run-of-the-mill.

David Walliams: profile

The rising success of one half of Little Britain's stars David Walliams, who returns to our screens with new shows Come Fly with Me and Awfully Good.

David Walliams' Awfully Good, Channel 4, preview

David Walliams returns to our screens, this time in a presenting role, as he runs down the most embarrassing clips from TV, films and adverts.

Yes, another clip show from Channel 4. But thanks to the acerbic presenting of David Walliams and some downright mind-boggling clips, it's not your average cut and paste clips show offering this time.

David looks at "the worst, weirdest and what-the-hell-were-they-thinking" TV moments. TV so awful, it's awfully good. Most clips are from the 70s and 80s and are so cringe-makingly bad they could be modern day spoofs. Phallic balloons on kids' TV, Bruce Forsyth singing Barry White and men in questionably tight trousers disco dancing.

There's a guy who claimed he could jump on an egg without breaking it and Boy George in The A-Team.

Most disturbing, however, is Mr TSW 1982, a male beauty pageant in the South West. Those men with dodgy hair and even dodgier speedos are now fathers and grandfathers.

The writing may not reach the heights of Little Britain at its best (what does?) but Come Fly With Me has enjoyable moments. Matt Lucas's way with a reaction shot is always a joy. There's a good sketch involving a couple complaining about their experience on FlyLo's new cruise service, where David Walliams plays an overbearing wife, but Lucas's worn-down husband is the real star. Similarly when we re-enter the tense world of Simon and Jackie Trent (Britain's first husband-and-wife pilot team), it's Lucas who shines as penitent Simon. Plus cheapskate airline owner Omar shows off his idea of a flat bed seat and hopeless immigration officer Ian Foot gets a geography lesson.

Walliams is a pink laydee

David Walliams proves he still makes an awfully good laydee as he dresses up in shocking pink for his new comedy show.

Viewers protest at Lucas and Walliams's 'minstrel show'

Thousands of viewers have complained that the Christmas Day show by comedy duo Matt Lucas and David Walliams on BBC1 was racist.