Judi Dench

The second episode of Ullman's new sketch show sees a deviant Dame Judi Dench return to wreak more senseless havoc upon an adoring public, a ludicrously practical (in the style of French and Saunders's "stuff and nonsense" ladies) Duchess of Cornwall babysit Prince George, and some middle Englanders become accidental people-traffickers after a trip across the Channel. Ullman is a brilliant mimic, but her subject matter can feel slightly random and the skits are strangely structured, often resulting in no discernible punchline.

The second episode of Ullman's new sketch show sees a deviant Dame Judi Dench return to wreak more senseless havoc upon an adoring public, a ludicrously practical (in the style of French and Saunders's "stuff and nonsense" ladies) Duchess of Cornwall babysit Prince George, and some middle Englanders become accidental people-traffickers after a trip across the Channel. Ullman is a brilliant mimic, but her subject matter can feel slightly random and the skits are strangely structured, often resulting in no discernible punchline.

Tracey Ullman's new sketch show, much heralded as her 30-year return from stateside exile, was fine, fine, if you wanted uncanny verisimilitude when it came to Dame Judi Dench and Angela Merkel. She has done a fine job of not being 30 years out of touch with British humour, and the Dench/"national treasure" shoplifting gag wore well, for this episode at least. But there was nothing in particular to convince us we should have missed Ullman in the way in which we might have missed the exile of, say, Paul Merton or Graeme Garden.

Due to the promotional clips I watched of Tracey Ullman's Show I expected it to be a sketch show featuring the comedienne performing a number of impressions. However Ullman only impersonated three famous faces with the sketches in which she played acting Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench not feeling particularly original. I certainly didn't find Dench's secret kleptomania or Smith auditioning for sci-fi roles to be that funny and the supposed jokes from these two sketches fell flat. Conversely I felt that Ullman was in her element when portraying German Chancellor Angela Merkel who was on her way to and from a conference in Cardiff. The scenes between Ullman's Merkel and her assistant played by Samantha Spiro were the funniest moments during the half hour as the imagined conversations between the pair felt oddly realistic. In fact I would've loved to have seen a Veep-style sitcom starring Ullman as Merkel as I feel it would've been funnier than about 95% of the sketches here. Everything else Ullman did provoked little laughter from the female MP whose decision to go topless impressed the male electorate to the female beautician who almost set her massage parlour on fire. Even the sketches involving a woman who had been freed from an East Asian Prison after thirty years all featured obvious gags including one scene in which we were delivered a rather sad list of all the iconic British retailers that had shut their doors during her incarceration. Aside from the Merkel material the only other part of Ullman's show that raised more than a titter was the closing satirical song and dance number about the closure of a Welsh library. Unfortunately this finale came a little too late to change my opinion of a sketch show that had plenty of opportunity but didn't really deliver in terms of laughs. Whilst I like Ullman and many of her supporting players I won't be returning to this show again as nothing apart from the Merkel sketches really left an impression.

Review: Tracey Ullman's Show

Ullman's greatest skill lies in mimicry and impersonation, so it wasn't a surprise the best moments of this series opener centred around Ullman pulling off a frankly uncanny Dame Judi Dench and Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. The excellent makeup helped, but Ullman has one of those faces that can effortlessly morph into other people, almost without the need for fake noses and wigs. It's just a shame that, like so many modern sketch shows, the material itself was a so dull and safe.

Radio Times review

If this series has confirmed anything it's what a brilliant impersonator Tracey Ullman is. This episode treats us to her pitch-perfect Camilla Parker-Bowles, a raucous hunting, shooting 'n' smoking laugh-a-minute lady who spends the day looking after her grandson (a child who bears more than a passing resemblance to the real Prince George).

Ullman's Dame Judi Dench continues to cause mayhem (this time deliberately blocking toilets in posh hotels), while her Maggie Smith auditions for the part of James Bond. Angela Merkel makes a welcome return from episode one.

Ullman's less well-known characters also hit the mark. I loved her retired Wimbledon line judge, and a sketch about a computing lesson for silver surfers shows Ullman's gift for satire and spot-on social observation.

After 30 years away it's clear that this is a gifted woman who is returning to her native UK in triumph.

Tracey Ullman: I had to wear fatsuit to play Judi Dench

It's been 30 years since Tracey Ullman last graced our TV screens, but now the British comedy queen who conquered America is about to make her historic UK return.

Radio Times review

No comic actor ever wrinkled their nose or pushed up their spectacles with better timing. Ronnie Corbett's gifts are lauded by a biography strand that's previously given warm tributes to Robbie Coltrane, Les Dawson, Judi Dench and indeed Ronnie Barker. Interviews and clips aim to bring out the secrets behind the success of The Two Ronnies, and Corbett's rather bleak solo sitcom, Sorry!

There's plenty to explore from the years before his TV career: when Corbett appeared on The Frost Report as a fresh-faced, talented newcomer, he was actually 36 and a veteran of the clubs. Before that were his days as a teenage organist - no, that's not the set-up for a Two Ronnies newsreader joke - and his 1952 film debut in You're Only Young Twice.

This quirky comedy, based on Deborah Moggach's novel, takes an A-list of aged Brit thesps - Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson - and plonks them in a crumbling hotel in Rajasthan, as economic migrants seeking a cheaper retirement.

The Vote was dull compared to the real election

For thrills, I would take that exit poll over Judi Dench and Jude Law any day.