John Lloyd (II)

Radio Times review

Mental health issues are no laughing matter. Or are they? Julia Sutherland talks to four more funny people - Australian comedian Felicity Ward, actress Keara Murphy, performer Juliet Burton and comedy guru John Lloyd - about their experiences of depression, anxiety, psychosis and eating disorders.

While these chats are quite straight-faced, they are interspersed with clips of Ward, Murphy and Burton performing in Edinburgh, each using their bleakest moments to raise laughs.

My favourite line is from Ward who likens admitting you're seeing a therapist to saying you've just bought a slave - people are happy you're getting help, but there's still a stigma attached. Murphy's amateur radio ham from a remote corner of Scotland is an oddball delight, with some homespun advice on coping with depression.

Burton's charming tales of fulfilling her childhood dreams by stalking Prince Harry soon descend into an attempt to recreate the experience of psychosis, while Lloyd asserts it's essential to laugh at mental health issues and reveals that it was creating QI that helped raise him from a deep depression.

Part of a Changing Minds season on mental health, this manages to be both funny and informative - which is no mean feat.

Having enjoyed what Stephen Fry described as a "full life", Mel Smith died in July aged just 60. At this time of year, it's probably his Rockin' around the Christmas Tree duet that comes to mind first, but the clowning about was part of a rich career that shaped British comedy but also took in straight acting and directing, TV production and a modicum of high living.

Rowan Atkinson remembers a "wonderful sort of peace" in performing alongside him, and John Lloyd credits Smith with developing the naturalistic style that characterises modern alternative comedy. Lloyd and Atkinson are joined by Richard Curtis and, of course, his sketch partner Griff Rhys Jones to commemorate Mel Smith's contribution to both comedy and life in general. Home video and lots of classic sketches (which really do stand the test of time) tell the story of a beloved comic personality.

That was the lunch that was: remembering David Frost

In his last ever recording on The Museum of Curiosity, he was on top form - funny, fascinating, full of insight - it's impossible to believe that someone so full of life is gone.

This week's new live comedy

Previews of Susie Essman, the Brighton Comedy Festival and John Lloyd.

John Lloyd mulls over stage version of QI

Lloyd is mulling the potential for a stage version of QI.

John Lloyd working on new multi-platform newspaper ads

[pJohn Lloyd], the founder of QI and producer of Blackadder, has teamed up with Newsworks to create a new, multi-platform advertising campaign for newspapers. Here, writing exclusively for Newsline, he explains - via a trip down memory lane - why they need it...

John Lloyd: the brain behind QI

You probably haven't heard of John Lloyd - but this self-described Stoic, whose career was derailed by depression, has probably made you laugh more times than anyone else.

Amnesty Secret Comedy Podcast episode 14

Adam Hills takes the reins for the penultimate instalment of the Amnesty Edinburgh podcast series, and confides that he was quietly warned off making gay jokes about Putin by MI6. Guest John Lloyd speaks about the sequel to The Meaning of Liff: a book about words that ought to exist but don't. Meanwhile, comedian Ben Van der Velde returns to talk about his favourite Edinburgh one-liners, and there's standup from Terry Alderton, Caroline Rhea, Felicity Ward and Abandoman.

Edinburgh comedy award: who should win this year?

Comedians under starter's orders for the Foster's awards, as the 2013 So You Think You're Funny gongs are handed out. Plus: John Lloyd brings a Rotary Club vibe to the fringe

John Lloyd's comedy A to J

The super-producer behind everything from Blackadder to QI (which is soon to tackle the letter 'K') talks about his life and work in TV comedy.