Kerry Godliman

Jack Docherty wrote this latest instalment of the Comedy Playhouse and he also stars, alongside Nigel Havers, Kerry Godliman and John Thomson. The story is about three marriages and the various jealousies, insecurities and temptations the couples endure. It's delivered rather like a play with the actors breaking off from their dialogue to speak directly to the audience - or, in this case, the camera.

Docherty plays Rob, a middle-aged man who's preparing an anniversary party with his wife. He ponders how dull married life has become and how his wife has stumpy legs like "little thumbs". Life is as exciting as "eating gravel and talking to puffins" on the Outer Hebrides. Then he realises his new neighbour is a young and gorgeous woman he used to work with and so he invites her to their party. His wife isn't impressed, telling her friend this new neighbour looks like "something that'd come up if you googled 'massive threat in skimpy pants.'" Nigel Havers plays the "massive threat's" nervous husband, constantly worried she's going to leave him for someone younger.

Preview: Stop/Start

It's a great cast: John Thomson as watchable as ever, Nigel Havers seems to relish being the ageing lothario worried about the age difference with his trophy wife (even though this can't hope match his performances with Brian Pern) - and whatever the script's failings this won't do any harm to Kerry Godliman's growing reputation as a subtle comic actor. But the jokes, from the usually fine Docherty and based on his Radio 4 sitcom, feels sluggish and obvious, a few nifty turns of phrase notwithstanding. Of course being unsubtle is no barrier to big audiences - quite the opposite, as Mrs Brown's Boy and Citizen Khan have proved. So expect this to be the one of the Comedy Playhouses to be commissioned.

Preview: Comedy Playhouse, Stop/Start, BBC1

Stop/Start is the sort of sitcom which would prompt the Daily Mail/Express to say "At last, a BBC sitcom that is actually funny." Yes, Stop/Start is pretty broad and pretty old fashioned but it is also genuinely funny, thanks to great performances from a quality cast and a script which mostly stays on the acceptable side of politically incorrect old hat.

Stop / Start review

Jack Docherty's wedded radio sitcom makes a blissful (ish) leap onto the small screen.

Kerry Godliman interview

Being offered a plum job without the need to interview or audition is a lovely thing in any field of work. But when that call comes from comedy giant Christopher Guest - part of the team behind classics including This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman - to be in his next film, well, it's all the sweeter.

News: Funny Women results

American performer Desiree Burch has been crowned winner of the 2015 Funny Women final. The show took place at Kings Place in London and was compered by Kerry Godliman.

Kerry Godliman interview

Kerry Godliman is bemoaning the state of the modern day social media-obsessed culture.

Stand-ups pick the best comedy clubs

Keith Farnan, Carl Hutchinson, Kerry Godliman, Romesh Ranganathan, Richard Herring, Phil Wang, Chris Turner, Lucy Beaumont, Katie Mulgrew, Phil Nichol, Ahir Shah, Juliet Meyers, Tiff Stevenson, Rachel Parris, Stephen K Amos and Andrew Maxwell name their favourite comedy clubs.

The top 5 comedy shows this weekend!

Glenn Wool, Kerry Godliman and Pete Firman are cracking the funnies in the clubs this weekend...

There are people who defend this mockumentary to the death, egged on by Ricky Gervais on his Twitter account, but it doesn't wash with me. It has amusing moments, but the show's always at its best when Gervais's insufferable Derek Noakes is off-screen. Lord knows why this performance earns Golden Globe nominations in the U.S, because it's a cringe-worthy mix of tic's and cartoonish body language. Derek's finale revolved around the wedding of saintly nursing home worker Hannah (Kerry Godliman) to her underwritten bin man boyfriend, which intersected with the expulsion of gross Kev (David Earl). Wisely, Derek's actual role was largely limited to a fairly sweet date with an unconvincingly adoring woman. One gets the sense Gervais, deep down, knows the multitude of ways this show and his character is flawed (he's not an idiot), but despite the fact the finale's a big improvement from the show's first series, it could never overcome the awkward mix of lowbrow gags and unearned sentimentality.