Jimmy Carr

Last night QI returned to BBC2 for another series of the incredibly intelligent quiz show hosted by the extremely knowledgeable Stephen Fry. Last night Mr Fry was joined by Lee Mack, Jimmy Carr, Sandi Toksvig and the ever-present Alan Davies. The subject was I-Spy.

To list the amount of interesting facts would take longer than watching the show itself and to list the amount of jokes, gags or hints of amusement would take almost as long. A few key points on last night's episode that ticked both boxes were the plastic mould of Einstein's face that tricks the mind and making the Queen happy or sad on a five pound note. Without giving it away I think you definitely have to watch the show in order to get the point of each.

QI is a very unique programme on the old telebox these days as it educates whilst entertaining. Maintaining the balance and keeping an audience who have flicked on for either is a tricky thing to master, but QI has mastered it with flying colours I do believe. I did learn a few things that I did not know before watching and I although most of it may be useless I do feel more confident going into next week's pub quiz.

Star of the show last night would have to go Lee Mack who isn't the cleverest of men, but is damn funny. Catch it on the iPlayer and expand your intelligence whilst having a chuckle.

The versatile Lee Mack pops up again here to bolster the return of QI - giving Alan Davies a run for his money in the dunderhead stakes, opposite the other team of Sandi Toksvig, Jimmy Carr and his very strange giggle.

Thanks to Stephen Fry, it's possible to learn more in a single episode of QI than in an entire year at school and tonight you'll come away with your head stuffed with generally useless but quite interesting facts about lobsters, insect matter, Ye Olde Pie Shoppes and one very unlucky chap nicknamed the Durable Mike Malloy.

There are some very cool optical illusions too, much semi-intelligent banter and a bizarre moment that inspires Sandi to gasp: "I never thought I'd see Einstein in that position."

After a flirtation with BBC1, QI is back for its 9th series and in its old slot. Expect the same blend of surrealism, wit and satire, thrilling and baffling in equal measure.

Stephen Fry hosts as the panellists aim to score as many points as possible by going off the beaten track to comic effect.

Sandi Toksvig, Lee Mack and Jimmy Carr star tonight.

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Saturday night... The Marriage Ref. Last of the sizzling series. A landmark in television history. Will it come back? No.

But another rare chance to catch ubiquitous guest Sarah Millican and her dreaded Geordie wit. Which used to be quite funny... until she started appearing on every show in town.

"I can't believe you got divorced," gasped witless host Dermot O'Leary. I can. And I'm guessing Sarah's husband saw far too much of her. Like the rest of us.

Similarly over-exposed panel game favourite Micky Flanagan sighed: "I don't know why I'm here." Because Jimmy Carr and Jack Dee weren't around... and it was your turn on the rota. Same old faces... same old jokes.

As always, the ­contestants all loved each other deeply. But had some meaningless minor moan.

A dead show walking right from the start, this pointless pap was so ­stunningly dull it was shunted to a late night timeslot. Due to total lack of interest.

Marriage Ref couldn't be saved by Jack Dee & Jimmy Carr

What an appalling concept the programme has at its core. Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing compelling about this series.

The Marriage Ref is perplexingly bad. Couples arrive with a problem that is either banal (she won't tidy her room) or manufactured (he won't stop doing magic tricks), Jimmy Carr and Jack Dee try to be funny and Katherine Kelly makes inane side-chat, having signed one of those standard TV contracts in which a woman is required to be exactly as boring as her male counterpart is funny. Dermot O'Leary I can understand, he has the clean features for such mid-evening blather, Carr has always struck me as a man who would sell an organ if the price was right, but Dee? How broke can he be? Is he trying to set up an orphanage? What's going on?

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