Jon Richardson

This now long-running Channel 4 panel game has seen some changes over the years. In this series, Jon Richardson has replaced Jason Manford as team captain; the opening round, "What Are You Talking About?", also now only covers the top three most talked about things in Britain as opposed to the original five. The other major change is that the total scores are no longer mentioned, with host Jimmy Carr now simply saying who's won, rather like Mock the Week.

The one major problem I have with 8 Out of 10 Cats is that almost every time there is always one guest who you'd rather not have on the programme. I went through the panel before the show began thinking to myself: "Russell Kane - established, award winning comic and deserves to be on. Josh Widdicombe - a relatively unknown comic who can use this appearance as his big break. Rachel Riley - well, as someone who regularly co-presents Countdown she has experience of quiz formats. Alex Reid - oh, damn!"

However, having said that, I did enjoy the fact that Reid didn't take himself too seriously, taking part in some pretty self-deprecating humour. However, the guest comics, as to be expected, did perform better; Kane's story about a woman he accidentally offended on a train was a particular highlight.

The comedy panel show is in rude health, there's no doubt about it. Friday night's are when BBC1's genre stalwart Have I Got News For You airs, and now it's joined by three rivals-two of which are new to the airwaves. First there's old-hand 8 Out Of 10 Cats, which is fuelled by statistics and opinion polls compiled about the week's news and gossip. There's been no significant changes to the show's format since it began, although team captain Jason Manford's now been replaced by comedian Jon Richardson.

The show itself can be one of the funniest panel shows around, on a good day. While many contemporaries have to balance jokes with a serious satirical agenda, Cats is as trivial as the lists it uses as its source of information. Headed by three comedians who are presently active on the circuit, it's more obviously an excuse to deliver jokes and amusing observations about topics the nation's chattering about. There isn't much in the way of thought-provoking insights and incisive satire, just pub-level joshing and quips with a topical theme. Team captain Sean Lock's found himself the ideal format for his brand of comedy, too-as I don't care for his stand-up but he seems to thrive in this panel show environment. Having some enforced structure and banter with guests appears to give him a boost.

In many ways Cats reminds me of Mock The Week in its approach to skewering the week's news, but there's a much more pleasant atmosphere to it. Mock often feels like six comedians scrambling to outdo each other in a competitive environment, but those involved with Cats are more gracious to their fellow panelists. Plus, in allowing non-comedian guests (here, cage-fighting fame-whore Alex Reid and Countdown's mouthwatering Rachel Riley), it's more fun seeing them poke fun at people who are in the room-as Mock often feels quite cowardly.

Stay away from the new series of the dependably funny comedy panel show if you only watch it for team captain Jason Manford, because he's gone. In his seat is former 6 Music presenter and comedian Jon Richardson. The neurotic comic is one of the finest on the circuit. Still, it's only recently that he's made big enough waves to bag slots on Live at the Apollo, plus various guest spots on quiz shows. Richardson will almost definitely jell with host Jimmy Carr and fellow captain Sean Lock. But even if he doesn't, you'll eat up his cynical observations and snigger at his obsessive-compulsive tendencies. And the fact that he lives in Swindon.

With a new series of Doctor Who fast approaching, the Telegraph's Graham Norton begins his new run with a vintage Who feel. David Tennant and Catherine Tate, both of whom starred together in a previous Who series, join Norton on the sofa to discuss teaming up again in a new West End production of Shakespeare's As You Like It. Lancaster-born comedian Jon Richardson talks about his tour, and the singer/songwriter Josh Groban promotes his Straight to You tour, before singing songs from his new album, Illuminations.

After two series spent looking oddly out of place on Thursday nights, the topical quiz returns to its rightful Friday-night home. Jack Dee is the guest host (for the 11th time; only Alexander Armstrong has been asked back more often). The panellists are Caroline Wyatt, the BBC News defence correspondent, and comedian Jon Richardson, joining old-timers Paul Merton and Ian Hislop.

Comedy books round-up March 2011

Books from Mark Thomas, Emma Kennedy, Jon Richardson, Andy Riley and Paul Barker.

Jon Richardson interview

Stand Up For The Week is the first regular show I've done and it's straight stand-up - I wanted my first regular TV thing to be stand-up.

Try to see tonight's show as a sandwich. Stephen K Amos and Micky Flanagan are the slightly stale, economy-range bap around Jon Richardson's premier-choice ham with vintage cheddar. How the duff bread and quality filling ended up on the same plate is a mystery. Amos, as ever, is bland, while Flanagan's material on wooing women in the 1980s is predictable. Former BBC 6 Music DJ Richardson, however, is a neurotic genius whose stuff on his hang-ups and rigid world-view will make you weep. Best of all is his ice-skating first-date story.

The stand-up show has reached its sixth series and kicks off with some trusty names. Mock the Week regular Sean Lock is the host and dishes out gags about the perils of people wanting to try on your glasses and - that old topic that just about anyone can relate to - having children. He introduces Liverpudlian John Bishop, whose own comedy series was shown on BBC One in the summer. Over the following five episodes we can expect to see Dara O Briain, Lenny Henry, Jon Richardson and Shappi Khorsandi among those taking the stage.