Jack Dee

Edinburgh comedy awards: explore all the winners

From Cambridge Footlights in 1981 to Bridget Christie in 2013, explore the history of the Foster's Edinburgh comedy awards. Find out who won, who they beat and how the art of comedy changed each year. When did stand-up come to the fore rather than sketch humour? Who was the first female winner? Who won in the year that Jack Dee, Lily Savage and Frank Skinner were in the running? The various nominees include a minor royal and the narrator of Peppa Pig... The winners of the 2015 awards will be announced on 29 August.

Radio Times review

The sixth year of Channel 4's admirable fundraising drive for Great Ormond Street Hospital. If you're an avid and knowledgeable fan of any of these acts, this might not be the best environment in which to see them, since there are an awful lot to get through. But to take the temperature of live comedy right now and see who's at the top of their game or on the up, it's ideal.

The really big names are led by Alan Carr, Michael McIntyre and Jack Dee, with Aisling Bea, Sara Pascoe and Katherine Ryan among the others to look out for. Also on the bill is sharp, politically astute South African stand-up Trevor Noah, getting in a UK gig while he can before he takes over the hallowed Daily Show in the US.

Charles Kennedy saluted in Have I Got News For You

Guest host Jack Dee introduces vintage clips of the politician's best moments, including him out-quipping Jeremy Clarkson.

Jack Dee's Help Desk, Hay Festival, review

Hilarious questions from the audience complemented a sparky panel, says Rupert Hawksley.

A dastardly duo investigate crimes on a sunny Spanish island in this hilarious series of comedy capers.

Bradley Walsh and Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker), head up the cast as expat journalists trying to play detective and stay out of trouble at the same time.

The series also boasts a stellar line-up of cameo appearances, including Paul Kaye, Tracy Ann Oberman, Jack Dee and Kara Tointon.

Law & Order: UK actor Bradley said he thought the sitcom would appeal to families, so it's a shame schedulers have put it on so late. But it's worth recording.

The action starts when undercover reporter - and master of disguise - Woody (Novak) is forced to flee Britain after being framed by his corrupt boss.

He goes on the run to find Brutus (Walsh), his former mentor at the newspaper and the one man he can trust. Brutus, now living a quiet life running a bar (called El Baro) in sunny Spain, is less than thrilled to see Woody.

But in the end they join forces to investigate local crimes.

It's a bit like Magnum, P.I. meeting the cast of Benidorm.

"I wanted the Magnum look, but without the enormous moustache," said Kayvan, about the show.

"But it's nice to be in something without wearing a balaclava or prosthetic mask."

And Bradley said: "I'd spent so many years being a downtrodden detective, standing on Hammersmith Bridge at six o'clock in the morning, getting rained on.

"So I thought, why not go and do that in the sun!"

In this opener, Melody (Emma Pierson) asks Brutus to help her find her husband's millions. But there's a catch. The only living thing who knows where the money is hidden is Teflon, his talking parrot - and the parrot has been kidnapped.

Can they track down the bird-napper before it's too late?

TV review: Jack Dee's Election Help Desk, BBC2

There are a lot of election comedies coming along at the moment. There's the aforementioned Last Leg, the topical Newzoids and Ballot Monkeys from the writers of Outnumbered. It will be interesting to see which one wins the satire race. At the moment Help Desk gets my vote. But then I haven't seen the others yet.

It's hard confidently to predict the exact contents of this show, as it will clearly depend on whatever stealth tax-raising, Ukip-defecting, debate-dodging, sandwich-slobbering, gaffe-strewn nonsense is top of the election agenda on the day in question. But as this panel show is overseen by Jack Dee, we can probably safely assume that its intent will be satirical, its tone lugubrious and its emphasis bleakly comic. Even if you're fed up with all the squabbling by now, this could still be worth a look.

Jack Dee: 'I'm not an obvious agony uncle'

Got problems? Need a sympathetic ear? Who ya gonna call? Well, obviously not Jack Dee. He's been described by colleagues as comedy's "little ray of sleet", a curmudgeon whom you would not want to confide in. But for the next few weeks, Dee, 53, is offering up his services as the nation's agony uncle.

Review: Jack Dee not on top form in Dubai

British comedian, known for his grumpy sense of humour, performs uninspired routine on UAE stop.