James Corden

Bafflingly, this has made the move to BBC2, so in case you didn't see the first run of the sketch show that earned the ever-present Mathew Horne and James Corden such a mauling, here's a second chance. It's hard to know what's more bleak about it - how witlessly crude it is, the air of nastiness that comes with characters like gay reporter Tim Woodall (in a war zone! In tiny shorts!) or, crucially, the lack of anything even resembling humour - unless the repeated sight of a jiggling belly is your thing.

The golden boys of Gavin and Stacey, Mathew Horne and James Corden, were rewarded with their own sketch show on BBC Three, which attracted a record audience of 817,000 for the first episode. After that, it was downhill all the way. Directed by Kathy Burke, the show was roundly slated for being amateurish, crude and aggressively unfunny. Viewing figures collapsed, with only 434,000 bothering with the final episode. In one sketch, two teachers give a joint lesson to a class on how to draw penises; in another, James Corden keeps shouting "I'm going to come!" while having sex. Elsewhere, he pulls up his shirt and rolls his stomach in front of a burger bar as a form of consumer complaint. The acting is accomplished enough, but that's as far it goes. Viewers on terrestrial television can now find out what they haven't been missing.

James Corden Interview

One minute, the creator of Gavin & Stacey could do no wrong ... the next, one of our best comic talents was the butt of every critic's wrath. He talks to The Observer about success, fame and the fallout from a critical backlash.

Gavin and Stacey 'say goodbye'

Gavin and Stacey writer and star James Corden says he's "very sad" as the cast prepare for the third and final series of the hit TV show. Rehearsals commence on 8 June, with filming starting on 15 June.

Horne & Corden BBC3's most successful comedy launch

Horne And Corden, the sketch show written by and starring Mat Horne and James Corden, was the most successful first series of a comedy on BBC Three. The series, which finished its run of six episodes last week, not only broke all previous records amongst the channel's target audience of 16-34s, but also amongst all audiences.

There must have been times in the past few weeks when Mathew Horne and James Corden have felt like bulls being chased around by banderilla-wielding critics. With savage reviews, talk of burnout and collapses on stage, the crash and burn has been spectacular. This is on time to stick any more knives in.

Indeed, in their defence, the omission of Gavin & Stacey from the Bafta nominations is a ridiculous snub that smacked of a petty attempt to cut Corden down to size. But that's not to say I'm not mightily glad to see the back of Horne & Corden, a show which started poised on the rim and ended up diving headlong down the toilet. At least the two of them finally had a big snog. Now please boys, move on.

Gavin & Stacey Cut Short

The new series of Gavin & Stacey has been cut from seven to six episodes. James Corden and Ruth Jones - who write the comedy hit and star as Smithy and Nessa - are too busy to make the full run.

Second series of Horne & Corden in pipeline

The BBC is in "advanced discussions" over a second series of the Tiger Aspect sketch show Horne & Corden, despite a poor critical reception.

However, the series which stars Gavin and Stacey actors Mathew Horne and James Corden, is not being considered for BBC2 as some reports have suggested.

Corden And Horne Set For Second Series

Comedy pair James Corden and Mathew Horne have defied their critics by landing a second series of their sketch show. But Beeb chiefs are backing their star men - and promoting them on to BBC2.

Scorn & Corden

Comedy duo Mat Horne and James Corden's new sketch show has proved a turn-off - losing nearly half its viewers after two episodes.