Jonathan Ross

Ross and Brand re-unite for first time since Sachsgate

Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross will appear together next week for the first time since the "Sachsgate" scandal.

Reviewing this programme's a bit of a problem because it's been in the newspapers all week, so it's hard to try and think about something new.

For those who might have been living in a cave since the year began, on this year's edition of the two-hour long panel game hosted by Jimmy Carr (cue jokes about him tax dodging), one team, consisting of Jack Whitehall and James Corden, supposedly got into trouble after drinking some wine on the set, getting tipsy, writing a random phone number on the screen which lead to people phoning some random member of the public, and making some rude jokes about the Queen which I'm not going to repeat. If you want to know what they are, watch the programme on 4oD and see it in context.

Concerning the phone number, it should be obvious that if you write just about any sequence of numbers down it will be someone's actual phone number and some idiots will ring it up. That was a bit stupid, and Channel 4 could have made an effort to do something about it. You know, like blur it out.

To be honest, though, I've no objection to the jokes about the Queen. Everyone knows that the Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells and Daily Mail brigades would get up on their high horses because, frankly, they enjoy draining the passion out of anything that isn't a repeat of Last of the Summer Wine - while at the same time complaining that they're too many repeats on TV. Since the "outrage" that the Mail has failed to stir up in the same way as it did with "Sachsgate", people have been fighting back in their own way, generally annoying the rag.

But I suppose the main reason why I personally didn't mind the jokes about the Queen is that over the past few years I've become sick of all the royal events on the box. First there was William and Kate getting married, then the Diamond Jubilee, now there's going to be a baby, and you just know the TV channels are going to give months and months of tedious analysis about the whole thing.

I've just got this nightmare vision in my head of Nicholas Witchell and his camera-crew trying to bribe a midwife so that they could get the BBC live exclusive access to the birth from the Duchess of Cambridge's private maternity unit, in which he will try to talk for about 18 hours straight with experts, while a camera will film Kate's most private parts constantly as they wait for the baby's head to come out the royal CENSORED.

Other than that however, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year was mostly enjoyable, except for some tedious reality TV guests - and the lacklustre Jonathan Ross. Shame Whitehall and Corden didn't try to get him drunk.

Last year's specstacular saw Alan do impressions taking the mickey out of easy targets Cher Lloyd, the Beckhams and Wills and Kate.

This year he'll be getting up to more festive fooling around, party games and sketches with the help of his guest mates.

Former Radio 2 pal Melanie Sykes, Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Christine Bleakley, Gok Wan and Bruno Mars join in the New Year fun.

Then there's Rylan Clark - one of the few guests who can make Alan look butch by comparison.

The line-up might not be as A-list as Graham Norton's, but this is exactly the kind of party you'd want to be invited to.

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Effusive chat fountain Alan Carr invites the famous, including Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Rylan Clark and Bruno Mars, to his NYE celebration. Of all the staying-in options, this one sounds the most festive thing to have on in the background while you're working your way through bulk quantities of prosecco and peanuts. Then at ten to midnight Channel 4 turns itself into a nightclub. Charlie Sloth hosts six hours of DJ sets and shout-outs for the young and vigorous who are having house parties up and down the land.

Jonathan Ross keeps the hecklers in check as he hosts the annual comedy gongfest. And while there are some glaring omissions from the shortlist - notably Grandma's House and Fresh Meat - there's still plenty of fine talent jostling for the top spots, with Olympic comedy Twenty Twelve slugging it out with political satire The Thick Of It for Best Sitcom gold. But if there's any justice in the comedy world, then David Rawle should be a shoo-in for Best Breakthrough Actor with his peerless performance as 11-year-old Martin in Chris O'Dowd's Moone Boy.

I can't say I'm a big fan of award shows, but this can be an exception.

Well, I suppose I can ("I'm a big fan of award shows" - there, see, I've just done it), but I'd be lying, and lying is a waste of all our time. Rather like this opening paragraph.

On their day, however, the British Comedy Awards can be a lot less dismal than most of these back-slapping bashes, if only because the bitter rivalry and bitchiness of the comedy world can trigger some seriously caustic name-calling, not very effectively disguised as goodnatured gags.

As for who's likely to win what at tonight's do, hosted by Jonathan Ross, I couldn't really give a monkey's, but it's good to see some less obvious names creeping into contention, such as Sky1's excellent series Moone Boy.

As for the publicly voted King Of Comedy prize, I'm afraid Joe Pasquale has been snubbed yet again...

As television's best-lubricated and worst-mannered awards ceremony, the British Comedy Awards are often the most fun to watch. While boisterous comics make amusing thank you speeches or heckle each other, it can take all of Jonathan Ross's sangfroid to keep proceedings under control.

This year you could be forgiven for not having seen some of the most nominated programmes. For instance, not many tuned in to E4's beautifully acted sketch show Cardinal Burns, but it gets nods for three awards, and quite right, too. Sky Atlantic's little-watched Hunderby is up for two. Even BBC2's The Thick of It (three), while a triumph, was no ratings blockbuster.

Other shining comic talents include Harry Hill (for the farewell series of TV Burp) and the wondrous Olivia Colman, who gets not one but two nominations as best comedy actress. If she doesn't win for one of them, there should be a stewards' inquiry.

Jonathan Ross wins new series despite low ratings

A fourth series of The Jonathan Ross Show has been commissioned by ITV despite its winning fewer viewers than a party political broadcast by the Conservatives.