Josh Widdicombe

At last fans of the topical comedy meltdown can turn aside from repeats on Dave and enjoy fresh comic meat in this new series. The rounds will be familiar - spinning the news, "Scenes we'd like to see" and so on - but the real laughs come from what are basically stand-up routines broken down into bite-sized chunks and delivered by masters of the art. Jostling for prominence with the regulars this week are Milton Jones, Josh Widdicombe and Katherine Ryan.

Channel 4's annual charity event returns with a troupe of performers large enough to make the Polyphonic Spree look on in envy. As ever, it's a mix of the established and the incipient, so Jo Brand and Jonathan Ross line up alongside men of the moment Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe. Elsewhere, comedians dancing seems to be a thing just now, so Miranda Hart and Warwick Davis duly join up with Diversity to show off their moves, while Russell Brand absents himself from Hollywood to partake in some audience interaction.

Josh Widdicombe to headline Green Man Festival

Forty comics will perform at the Green Man Festival's new look Last Laugh comedy stage in August.

There will be bashful murmurs of agreement when Marcus Brigstocke admits he's no longer able to help his nine-year-old son with his maths. Luckily for him and fellow comic Josh Widdicombe, maths professor Marcus du Sautoy is on hand to guide them through some tricky teasers, as they test their amateur problem-solving against finely tuned maths bod Dara O'Briain.

The challenges are surprisingly difficult, but there is a relatively comprehensible explanation of the most efficient way to wrap a present. Here's a clue: the key is in the width of the strips, and not, as Marcus quips, to take it to the fifth floor of John Lewis.

Josh Widdicombe interview

One of those most surprised by The Last Leg's recent return and continued success of the series is Josh Widdicombe, the fast-rising comedian who has previously dabbled in sports writing for a broadsheet.

Josh Widdicombe interview

Josh Widdicombe on his rise up the comedy ladder.

Review: Josh Widdicombe: The Further Adventures of...

Rosy-cheeked Devonian Josh Widdicombe is a young man in the pink. The 29-year-old is currently enjoying exposure on Channel 4 in The Last Leg with Adam Hills and his stand up continues to go from strength to strength.

Another entertaining alternative review of the week with the team behind the popular Paralympics comedy round-up. Comedians Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe are joined by guests who have been in the news this week, plus there are live studio challenges and sports reporter Alex Brooker gives us another update on his continuing quest to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

Having become something of a success during the Paralympics last year, Channel 4 has brought back this live chat show looking at the week's events - and trying to ask questions no-one else would.

Hosted by Adam Hills (disabled - one foot), and featuring contributions from Josh Widdicombe (not disabled) and sports journalist Alex Brooker (disabled - one leg, hand deformities), The Last Leg features interviews with guests (this week it's actor Idris Elba - not disabled), as well as topical discussion.

However, the main feature is the contributions from online, especially under the Twitter hashtag #IsItOk, where people are encouraged to ask more uncomfortable and difficult questions, without fear of judgement. In this case I would like to ask my own question: #IsItOk that the mentally disabled get so much less TV coverage than the physically disabled?

I ask this because I'm disabled myself, but my disability is Asperger's syndrome. It's something I have written about before but I'm willing to bring it up again; the only disabled people you ever see on TV are those who look different, whether it's in terms of their appearance (e.g. missing limbs) or whether have to use some form of equipment (e.g. artificial feet). If you're disabled but look perfectly normal - because the part of you that's been affected is your brain, like mine is - then you might as well forget getting any coverage.

Over the next few days the Winter Special Olympics, which are the games for the mentally disabled, will be held in South Korea. The amount of coverage being given to it is minimal. The British have got seven alpine skiers going to the games, but will we see their efforts on national television? I somehow doubt we will. I fear that the names Wayne McCarthy, Jane Andrews, Mikael Undrom, Elizabeth Allen, Luke Purdie, Clare Lines and Robert Holden will not be remembered, or even acknowledged by most people.

However, for what it does, The Last Leg seems to cover most things rather well. My main problem, other than what I have already mentioned, is that half-an-hour seems too short. A live show like this needs more airtime to get comfortable.

There were many triumphs of the sporting summer but one of the less trumpeted was Channel 4's late-night Paralympic chat show. Free-wheeling and sparky, it felt like a new, relaxed angle on the comedy "gang show", with Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker backing up suave Australian host Adam Hills. Their reward is a series of non-Paralympic, Friday-night slots in which to "celebrate all that is best about Britain". And of course they'll still be asking their fateful, PC-skirting question, "Is it OK..?"