Jimmy Carr

Marc Blake: Live comedy is priceless, costs a fortune

Live comedians such as Jimmy Carr, Lee Evans and Michael McIntyre, can make up to £5m a year from touring their stand-up shows.

Channel 4's 10 O'Clock Live does show some signs of structural adjustment, which, coincidentally or not, address objections made by reviewers of January's opening programme.

Critics complained, for example, that the content was relentlessly verbal - with Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker and David Mitchell delivering exaggerated rants in rotation - and, in the progress to last Thursday's 12th edition (of a scheduled first series of 15), the visual material has progressively increased. Carr's opening monologue is now illustrated with punningly captioned pictures, and the comedian also performs more and more dressing-up sketches.

Two flaws, though, are stubbornly consistent. Lauren Laverne, whose original duties amounted to little more than introducing the boys, has not been permitted much evolution, and the first show's unrelieved liberal agenda continues: the four main performers, the majority of the guests and most of the audience seem to be on the same side over most of the issues.

Even so, I think this show can justifiably claim to have suffered at the beginning from the seeming eagerness of some journalists, bloggers and tweeters to see Carr, Mitchell and Brooker flop: late-night satire shows have generally launched newcomers, and there was a slightly smug sense of a celebrity benefit concert about this one. But, three months on, 10 O'Clock Live maintains a high gag rate and, last week, a terrific bust-up over phone-hacking between John Prescott and a News of the World journalist.

Jimmy Carr: Jordan needs a roasting

Comic Jimmy Carr wants to give glamour girl Jordan a US-style "comedy roasting".

Comedians re-create childhood photos

Take a dozen comedians, add some snaps from the family album, mix them all up and what do you get? Featuring Alan Carr, Miranda Hart, Greg Davies, Jessica Hynes, Sarah Millican, Dom Joly, Jason Byrne, Shappi Khorsandi, Chris Addison, Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard and Jon Holmes.

Host James Corden and regulars Georgie Thompson, Freddie ­Flintoff, John Bishop and Jamie Redknapp return with a new series of the sports-based panel show.

This week's guests are the brilliant Jimmy Carr and darts player Phil "The Power" Taylor. Although due to funnyman John monopolising the screen time, if it wasn't for a section of the show being dedicated to darts you might not realise Phil was even there. Not that we're complaining - ­everything that comes out of John's mouth is comedy gold. The show is now, at one hour, "bigger and longer" than before. And, says James, "it might even be better".

We'd have to agree. I''s just gag after gag, many of them at the expense of one Mr Redknapp.

There's even a "smash it", although not followed by the expected shot of Jamie (perhaps he didn't ­appreciate being the butt of that joke).

As well as laughing, you'll learn some interesting facts, including how many Didier Drogba air fresheners have been sold, why tennis ace Roger Federer's attempts at merchandising are even tackier than that, how ­comedians are stronger than ­footballers, and that if Benidorm's Madge should ever lose her mobility scooter she should probably check Freddie's garage.

A third series of the sports quiz that makes A Question of Sport look square and stilted. Not that A Question of Sport needs any help. The banter feels a lot closer to how sportspeople really talk - letting them swear is a good start - but it's the stunts and games that make it. Highlights of last year's run included series regulars Andrew Flintoff and Georgie Thompson answering quick questions for as long as their team-mate Jimmy Carr could bear to sit in an ice bath, and Phillips Idowu leaping over all five other panellists, plus host James Corden, Evel Kneivel-style. Of course it isn't funny all the time, and moving to hour-long episodes seems risky, but the moments when it flies are worth waiting for.

Ten O'Clock Live, Channel 4, week 6, preview

Six weeks in, the satirical news show presented by David Mitchell, Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker and Lauren Laverne is now halfway through its run and the team seem to have finally settled into their stride.

For the meagre price of 5p per crisp packet to piggy-bank on this year's Comic Relief campaign, Walkers Crisps get the kind of publicity money can't buy.

This time there's no pretence at a socially responsible message (support British farmers! Eat crisps then go for a walk!), just an exhortation to scoff as many crisps as possible in the next month to support Stephen Fry, Al Murray, Jimmy Carr or Frank Skinner. While owner PepsiCo insists all Walkers advertising is targeted at adults, past years' Ofcom figures show that Comic Relief has the third highest child viewing figures of anything on TV.

The dozens of charities specifically funded by Comic Relief to tackle childhood obesity - such Dance Action Zone in Leeds, Girls Healthy Eating or the Merton Cycling Campaign, must be thrilled by the huge marketing bost for salty, fatty, junk food snacks.

Interview: Jimmy Carr, comedian

Slick, sick and definitely not for the easily offended, Jimmy Carr is the Marmite man of the comedy world - someone you either love or you hate.