Kevin Bishop (II)

Sketch shows have short-changed the public

Kevin Bishop talks to a website about how seeing the same joke told six times in a series has been damaging the genre, and how his show is different.

Kevin Bishop interview in The Times

There's some terrific comedy when the king of spoof - Kevin Bishop - returns. He came to the forefront in Star Stories, and is well on form in The Kevin Bishop Show. Don't miss it.

Comedy Showcase had been largely disappointing but Kevin Bishop's sketch show made it all seem worthwhile. Having built a following with Star Stories, he could be the next big thing.

I'm not a huge fan of Star Stories - it always feels a little too pleased with itself. But that doesn't deny the talents of Kevin Bishop, who gets his own sketch show in the last of the Comedy Showcase pilots. Sadly, it falls a little flat, which is a shame, as it seems a series has already been commissioned.

It'll be interesting to see what Bishop can achieve with a full series to let the material breath, so I'm hoping the failings of the pilot are just a false start.