John Bishop (I)

Graham Norton may be heaving a sigh of relief that Jonathan Ross's ITV chat show finished on Saturday, alleviating competition for guests. Tonight the Telegraph agony uncle's line-up features a strong British contingent: actress Joanna Lumley, whose Greek Odyssey is currently on ITV1, Scottish actor James McAvoy (Atonement), who voices the forthcoming animated movie Arthur Christmas; professional Scouser John Bishop, who brings the jokes; and music from Sheffield combo Arctic Monkeys.

A big guest straight off the bat for series four: Andy Murray, taking a break from tantalising losses in Grand Slam semis. In the last series, Tim Henman fired serves at the show's regulars. How can Murray top that? By picking up a microphone to reveal his talent for rapping, backed by regular host James Corden.

The show's also held onto star players John Bishop and Andrew Flintoff, along with Jamie Redknapp and Georgie Thompson. Other guests are comic Jason Manford, and Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier.

It's interesting the way the credits proudly announce it is "written and presented by John Bishop". But just as you're admiring the wealth of comic material Bishop has written, you notice the six names listed under "programme associates", all of whom are, er, comedy writers. Cheeky.

Still, whatever their contribution, it's a reliably funny show. The theme this week is our love/hate relationship with animals and that means some fresh light on the ancient dogs versus cats debate and mildly predictable routines from Bishop on how wasps are annoying and hamsters pointless.

Bishop's delivery is always good, but it's the interview snippets that provide the best bits. And they're so lovingly filmed: look out for the swordfight going on in the background of one interview and stick around to the end to catch a chihuahua in a West Ham shirt.

John Bishop continues to pull in punters

Comedian John Bishop lured solid audiences for BBC One and BBC Three last night, according to the latest overnight data.

Here's an exclusive: cricketer Andrew Flintoff used to collect soaps when he was a youngster. "It doesn't really fit with my image, does it... my soap addiction?" he says, looking a little shame-faced at his admission. John Bishop's topic this week (we've already had music and fashion and food) is hobbies and leisure time, which means some seaside-pier-style routines from him on the perils of buying underwear for your wife and childhood memories of the fun you could have with a lolly stick. But it's the filmed contributions that made me laugh most. You've got to love WI member Jackie Huck with her shoebox collection of erasers, one of which, she says excitedly, smells like a custard cream.

John Bishop beats Ronnie Corbett in battle of 'Britain'

John Bishop's Britain showed its resilience against tough ITV competition last night, according to the latest overnight data.

John Bishop's Britain review

The subjects of music and fashion are on John Bishop's agenda this evening, subject matter bursting with stand-up clichés. Skits about middle-aged men's bad dance moves and the glory of vinyl LPs are older than comedy itself, but the Liverpudlian just about manages to get away with these ancient chestnuts.

I try hard to resist John Bishop; he's loud, brash, coarse and crude. But, dammit, he always gets me in the end. I don't want to laugh, but, yes, there I go. He's good at cheery observation - a dirty version of Michael McIntyre with jokes invariably ending up somewhere below the waist. Like his final, elaborate gag that centres on an involuntary male physical reaction to an extended kissing scene when he starred in Skins. His leery stand-up routine is mixed with filmed contributions from members of the public and minor celebrities, who expound on topics, including this week Awful Music and Guilty Pleasures. Bishop, at his most laconic, does an excellent hatchet-job on U2's Bono at his most sanctimonious and there are extended routines about that old chestnut, men dancing at weddings, and the joys of taping music from the radio as a kid.

The idea of the series is to explore different facets of British culture via the means of reminiscing, re-enacting and no small amount of piss-taking, as John Bishop takes us on a self-deprecating tour of our own recent history.

Annoyingly, much of the history isn't quite recent enough to be recognisable to viewers under a certain age, since the programme's content is aimed squarely at the 30-something market.
If you like rap music and were born too late to become nostalgic when someone asks when you bought your first record, then this music and fashion themed opener was not for you.

Fortunately, the skits and stand-up were funny, while the host and his talking heads - a combination of famous faces and ordinary members of the public - were engaging and endearing.

It's not ground-breaking Saturday night television, but John Bishop's Britain is charming and self-effacing and, as such, quintessentially British.