British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
Jake Godfrey
Jake Godfrey

Jake Godfrey

  • Journalist

Jake Godfrey features

Only When I Laugh. Image shows from L to R: Dr. Gordon Thorpe (Richard Wilson), Roy Figgis (James Bolam), Norman Binns (Christopher Strauli), Archie Glover (Peter Bowles). Copyright: Yorkshire Television Features

Comedy Rewind: I'm H-A-P-P-Y: Only When I Laugh

Sunday 27th October 2024

Visiting hours have begun at hospital sitcom Only When I Laugh, starring three bona-fide sitcom legends.

dinnerladies. Image shows from L to R: Jean (Anne Reid), Stan (Duncan Preston), Brenda (Victoria Wood), Twinkle (Maxine Peake), Dolly (Thelma Barlow), Tony (Andrew Dunn), Anita (Shobna Gulati). Copyright: Good Fun / Pozzitive Productions Features

Comedy Rewind: dinnerladies - cooking up laughs

Sunday 7th July 2024

In this Comedy Rewind, we revisit Victoria Wood's magnum opus, the works canteen comedy dinnerladies.

The Army Game. Image shows left to right: Cpl 'Flogger' Hoskins (Harry Fowler), Pte Leonard Bone (Ted Lune), Pte 'Chubby' Catchpole (Dick Emery), L/Cpl Ernest 'Moosh' Merryweather (Mario Fabrizi) Features

Comedy Rewind: The Army Game on parade

Sunday 9th June 2024

A quick-march through the history of ITV sitcom The Army Game, one of television's most commercially successful comedies.

The Worker. Charlie (Charlie Drake) Features

Comedy Rewind: Hello, my darlings! - Revisiting The Worker

Sunday 18th February 2024

Charlie Drake was once one of British comedy's biggest stars. We revisit his put-upon everyman character and popular ITV sitcom The Worker.

15 Storeys High. Vince Clark (Sean Lock). Credit: BBC Features

Comedy Rewind: Climbing 15 Storeys High

Sunday 7th January 2024

More than 20 years ago, Sean Lock brought a sitcom about a man living in a high rise tower block from Radio 4 to BBC Three, earning cult hit status over two series.

Surgical Spirit. Image shows left to right: Jonathan Haslam (Duncan Preston), Sheila Sabatini (Nichola McAuliffe). Credit: Humphrey Barclay Productions Features

Comedy Rewind: Surgical Spirit

Sunday 10th December 2023

We revisit hospital sitcom Surgical Spirit in this Comedy Rewind piece.

Just Good Friends. Image shows from L to R: Penny Warrender (Jan Francis), Vince Pinner (Paul Nicholas). Copyright: BBC Features

Comedy Rewind: Much more than Just Good Friends

Sunday 1st October 2023

John Sullivan is best known for the iconic Only Fools And Horses, but his mid-80s romantic sitcom Just Good Friends entertained more than 20 million viewers over the course of three captivating series.

Sykes. Eric Sykes (Eric Sykes). Copyright: BBC Features

Comedy Rewind: Sublime sibling silliness in Sykes

Sunday 17th September 2023

For this week's Comedy Rewind, we revisit the farcical fun of Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques in long-running sitcom Sykes.

Richard Cadell People

Richard Cadell interviewed as Sooty turns 75

Wednesday 19th July 2023

As Sooty celebrates his 75th birthday, we chat to his third and current right-hand man, Richard Cadell, about magic, nostalgia and keeping Sooty on the right hands.

Sooty with his water pistol Features

75 years of Sooty

Wednesday 19th July 2023

As he celebrates his 75th birthday, we take look back at over seven decades of slapstick shenanigans with Sooty.

Anthony Irvine People

Cool as ice - a chat with The Iceman

Saturday 8th July 2023

As his book Melt It! is published and he launches an exhibition of his artwork, we chat to Anthony Irvine, better known as The Iceman, who was something of a legend on the alternative comedy circuit.

Saturday Live. Ben Elton Features

Comedy Rewind: An alternative night out with Saturday Live

Sunday 25th June 2023

Showcasing a range of acts from the booming alternative comedy scene of the 1980s, this Comedy Rewind revisits the anarchic Saturday Live.

Thick As Thieves. Image shows from L to R: Stan (John Thaw), Annie (Pat Ashton), George Dobbs (Bob Hoskins). Copyright: London Weekend Television Features

Comedy Rewind: Stealing a laugh - Revisiting Thick As Thieves

Sunday 28th May 2023

In this week's Comedy Rewind, we take a look back at Thick As Thieves, the criminal comedy that Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais penned before Porridge.

Human Remains. Image shows left to right: Flick (Julia Davis), Peter (Rob Brydon) Features

Comedy Rewind: Examining Human Remains

Sunday 14th May 2023

In 2000, Rob Brydon and Julia Davis introduced a six-part series on BBC Two that delivered dark laughs by focusing on the relationships of six unusual couples.

Tommy Cannon People

Tommy Cannon rocks on

Thursday 4th May 2023

As he prepares to embark on his first solo tour, we chat to legendary comic Tommy Cannon about comedy, playing Vegas and doing panto with Charlie Drake...

Sink Or Swim. Copyright: BBC Features

Comedy Rewind: Looking back at Sink Or Swim

Sunday 30th April 2023

Dive in and Sink Or Swim with this sitcom from the early 1980s, starring Robert Glenister and Peter Davison.

Astronauts. Image shows from L to R: Dr Gentian Foster (Carmen Du Sautoy), Commander Malcolm Mattocks (Christopher Godwin), Colonel Beadle (Bruce Boa), Technical Officer David Ackroyd (Barrie Rutter). Copyright: Central Independent Television Features

Comedy Rewind: Astronauts - Discover the unknown

Sunday 2nd April 2023

Red Dwarf is neither the first nor the only British TV sitcom to have been set in space. Venture into the unknown with ITV's Astronauts.

Worzel Gummidge. Image shows from L to R: Worzel Gummidge (Jon Pertwee), Aunt Sally (Una Stubbs). Copyright: Southern Television Features

Comedy Rewind: On the farm with Worzel Gummidge

Sunday 8th January 2023

Take a trip to the countryside to delve into the much loved children's series Worzel Gummidge, as a brand new box set, fully remastered, restored, and loaded with extra features, comes to DVD and Blu-ray.

Coogan's Run. Credit: Pozzitive Productions Features

Comedy Rewind: Ready, set, go for Coogan's Run

Sunday 27th November 2022

We delve into the Steve Coogan character anthology from 1995, Coogan's Run.

Man About The House. Image shows left to right: Chrissy Plummer (Paula Wilcox), Robin Tripp (Richard O'Sullivan), Jo (Sally Thomsett). Credit: Thames Television Features

Comedy Rewind: Robin's hood - Meeting the Man About The House

Sunday 13th November 2022

One of the most popular sitcoms of the 1970s, Man About The House was hugely successful and has a significant impact to this day - on both sides of the Atlantic.

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