Jack Whitehall

Fringe 2011 comedy: 5 shows about parents

Featuring Scott Capurro, Tom Rosenthal, Catie Wilkins, Des Bishop and Jack Whitehall.

The ubiquitous Claudia Winkleman presents a third episode of King Of, the chat show with a difference. Not a very big difference, but a difference nonetheless. The idea is that the panellists pick who or what is the "king of" various things: the best cheese, the best Chelsea midfielder, the best whatever. Like Room 101, then, but backwards. Today's guests are Lorraine Kelly, daytime TV sofa-dweller, and the comedian Jack Whitehall.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this show is that the unbroadcast pilot has been made available online.

The Matt Lucas Awards is a TV version of the BBC Radio 2 show And the Winner Is... in which the Little Britain star presents the Lucas Awards to unusual categories, the nominations being decided by three celebrity guests. The BBC decided that the pilot was so good that they've commissioned a full series and have released the pilot on their comedy website.

The first episode featured Dave Gorman, Ruby Wax and Jack Whitehall as guests suggesting nominations for the Lucas Awards for "Most Incomprehensible British Accent", "The Guest with The Most Useless Talent" and "Worst Song by an Otherwise Reputable Artist". Out of the guests, for me it was Wax who was funniest, especially with her ability to memories 400 different camp songs, and her attempt to call Blue's Anthony Costa on Whitehall's mobile phone.

I also enjoyed what Lucas and his house band, David Arnold and The Available Session Musicians, referred to as the "excruciating theme tune", which for me wasn't excruciating at all, but rather jolly.

Overall, it's clear to see why the BBC felt comfortable putting this pilot out - whether or not they will put the pilot on the TV before the series goes out is another matter.

Following the success of last year's run, Channel 4 brings back its two and a half-hour stand-up binge for a second run, recorded live at the 02 Arena on Tuesday. The line-up is a familiar assortment of British comedy big shots: John Bishop, Jo Brand, Jack Dee, Jack Whitehall and even some whose names don't begin with "J", such as the inescapable chuckler Michael McIntyre. The fact that all the proceeds go to charity is an easy way of disguising the commission of a safe and inoffensive night of very light entertainment.

Well done to the 15,000 people who actually paid for tickets to this comedy marathon a couple of weeks ago at London's cavernous O2 Arena.

It was all in a good cause - for Great Ormond Street - but you can see it without forking out for the Tube fare.

Alan Carr, Dara O'Briain, Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Jack Whitehall - if there's a comedian you've heard of but have not got around to seeing in the flesh, they're most probably going to be here.

As Jack Dee drily notes, the backstage area must have been quite an experience - all those comedians sitting around... NOTICING things.

It's hard to pick a standout stand-up, but Sarah Millican is fabulous and Sean Lock goes down a storm with topical gags about Ryan Giggs and Twitter.

And I love the introduction Lock got from Jonathan Ross: "He couldn't be more attractive to the ladies if he was a Take That ticket made of chocolate. That vibrates."

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The build-up has been going on for weeks with everything from a "rude road trip" by the stars of The Inbetweeners to Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton's daring Battersea Power Station highwire act, and a gruelling challenge that saw nine stars trek for five days across the Kaisut desert in Kenya. So, what can top that as the bi-annual charity fundraiser takes over the airwaves tonight?

Well, with a presentation team that includes Michael McIntyre, Lenny Henry, Graham Norton, Fearne Cotton, Jack Whitehall, Kevin Bridges, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, James Corden and Jack Dee there are certainly lots of laughs in prospect. There's a host of one-off sketches to look forward to from Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan, Armstrong & Miller and the cast of Outnumbered. There are also Comic Relief spin-offs of MasterChef and The Choir, and special outings for Doctor Who and EastEnders.

As well as all that, there are performances from some of the biggest names in the music industry, including George Michael and Boyzone, and reminders why it's all happening, with reports on how the money raised in previous years has benefited the underprivileged in Africa and here in the UK. Of course, amid all the chaos, everybody's eyes will be fixed on the cash counter clocking up every pound raised by volunteers and fundraisers. In 2009 Comic Relief raised £80 million.