Kelly Holmes

Radio Times review

Before I started watching this I thought, "I wonder if they'll add some sleigh bells over the thrashy theme music" and I'm delighted to say they have. There's also a spangly snowflake backdrop and several Christmas-themed claims/tales/festive fibs.

To wit, "These are two of the best gifts I was given last Christmas," announces David Mitchell, flourishing a top hat and magic wand and prompting all of us to try to picture what Christmas Day might be like at the Coren Mitchells.

But the best prop arrives when Bill Bailey introduces a pet bird called Jacob, that he claims he once smuggled into the cinema with him. The fact it's a cockatoo is heroically ignored, even by Lee Mack: no pre-watershed-unfriendly gags here (although why Mitchell's enthusiastic mime of church bell-ringing gets a laugh might take some explaining). Kelly Holmes, Jo Brand and Ruth Jones add to the mendacious merriment.

Radio Times review

Most of us, I would imagine, could come up with more interesting pet hates to share with the nation than answering machines or the M25 - two of the topics here. But guests on this show don't have to try too hard. However tame their suggestions, Frank Skinner will swoop in with a punchline to make their story/observation/rant look like comedy gold. Or at worst, comedy bronze.

He rides to the rescue a few times as Kelly Holmes, Alexander Armstrong and Henry Blofeld air their grievances. When Armstrong wants to abolish the nothingy days between Christmas and New Year, Frank points out that most people enjoy the time off, telling Armstrong, "What you need is a harder job."

At one stage he even manages to flirt with Blofeld, which is not what anyone was expecting. One of the latter's complaints is, exactly as you would hope, restaurants that don't keep proper powdered English mustard.

Charge your flutes with vodka champagne cocktail, Ab Fab fans! This could be the last-ever episode (although there are rumours of a movie). Certainly, it's the last of three specials, after two at Christmas and New Year, reuniting the bad girls of chichi Holland Park for their 20th anniversary.

Why the long wait? Well, this was always intended as an Olympics-themed edition, with the Games descending abruptly upon Patsy and Eddy's blinkered lives. Eddy could go for gold herself - if there were a category for partying and pratfalls. Sadly, Patsy looks set to be left at the starting line: she's developed, well, let's just say a little issue whenever she sneezes and is in need of a "tightening procedure".

Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley are on top form with the physical comedy and waspish remarks. June Whitfield's Gran is as endearingly batty as ever and tonight gets the final funny line - if not the last laugh. Watch out for cameos by Dames Kelly Holmes and Tanni Grey-Thompson, as well as fashion designer Stella McCartney, for whom Eddy has developed something of a girl crush. It is not reciprocated.

The Olympics is almost here and Michael Douglas is coming to rent Edina's house for the duration. Stella McCartney may not be taking her calls but Edina's desperately hoping a film star consort will get her into some happening clubs. Patsy's stress incontinence threatens to ruin things and Bubble is dreaming about sporting glory. Good news: Saunders's writing is right back on form. Includes cameos from McCartney, Kelly Holmes and Tanni Grey-Thompson.

Just when you thought no more Olympics-themed programming could be squeezed into the schedules, the "sweedie darling" sitcom returns to give its own raucous spin on events. Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) feels past her sell-by date (rather like this show, cynics might suggest). Party invitations are no longer plopping onto her designer doormat and she can't even get into her favourite fashion stores anymore. Age has also caught up with best friend Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley), the former glamour puss is reduced to wearing incontinence pads and cripplingly tight control underwear. For the duration of the Games, Eddy has rented out her house to a Hollywood A-lister and London 2012 is passing the pair by, until daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha) returns home and exhorts them to embrace the Olympic spirit. Cue celebrity cameos from Dame Kelly Holmes, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Stella McCartney, plus a sequence filmed inside the Olympic Stadium. This is the last of three 20th anniversary specials, the first two of which were shown over Christmas. It delivers the odd laugh but feels distinctly dated and should probably be laid to rest - at least until next year's mooted movie spin-off.

Stella McCartney to star in Absolutely Fabulous

Fashion designer Stella McCartney is just one of the names to star in the revived TV comedy, along with Kelly Holmes and Emma Bunton.