Lembit Öpik

Why Fringe standup is perfect summer job for a jaded MP

Canvassing for support, getting heckled, hanging out in bars - it's all great practice for politicians. And Alex Salmond is leading the way.

Lembit Opik tries comedy again

The former Liberal Democrat MP stars in Rocking Your Vote! which uses his 'heroic failures' for some of its inspiration, and comes six years after Opik made a well-publicised attempt to turn his hand to stand-up.

Ardal O'Hanlon Doesn't See Funny Side Of Lembit Opik

Father Ted comedian Ardal O'Hanlon has slammed former MP Lembit Opik's foray into stand-up comedy as "disrespectful".

Patrick Kielty MCs more topical, edgy humour tonight from Rich Hall, Jack Whitehall, Andi Osho and Kevin Bridges. And another masochistic celebrity guest braves The Chair - the 21st century equivalent of the stocks. Except, instead of being pelted with rotten fruit and veg, they're subjected to a tsunami of verbal abuse that stops just short of having their head pushed down the toilet.

This week it's Peter Shilton, who'll be hoping for an easier ride than Lembit Opik got last week. Don't be fooled by Kielty's blandly angelic appearance. This isn't the same Patrick Kielty who fronted Fame Academy, Love Island and The National Lottery's Big Ticket. The Patrick Kielty on this show is his ruder, cruder and utterly merciless identical evil twin.

Lembit Opik performs Glastonbury's Left Field stage

Budding stand-up comedian Lembit Opik was invited to open the Leftfield stage at Glastonbury last weekend by none other than Billy Bragg.

Forget picture rounds, point scoring and clever puns - this blisteringly funny comedy goes straight for the jugular with a team of stand-ups letting rip on the news and sailing as close to the wind as the lawyers allow.

The most extraordinary segment sees host Patrick Kielty verbally cremating Lembit Opik, who is this week's guest in a spot called 'The Chair'.

For what must be the longest two minutes in Opik's life he's abused by Kielty, who probably can't believe he's not being hit. Opik meekly takes it but then 'The Chair' is the only seat he's likely to be offered for the forseeable.

Also appearing are Jack Whitehall, Rich Hall, Kevin Bridges, Andi Osho and Brendon Burns. On the strength of this first show, SUFTW makes HIGNFY look like a doddery old uncle.

Lembit Opik makes his comedy debut

Whatever reasons Lembit Öpik had for making his debut as a stand-up comic last night, it was not about the money. The former MP for Montgomeryshire, who lost his seat last month with a 13 per cent swing against him, said that he was getting paid £115 for his 15-minute stint at the Backstage Comedy Club in the West End of London.

Why Lembit Opik's now happy to be laughed at

Politics, as the saying goes, is showbusiness for ugly people. Having had a go at one career, former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik is now trying his hand at the other, hoping to carve himself an unlikely niche as a stand-up comedian.

First Night Review: Lembit Opik

More a self-referential discourse than a club set, and therefore an act that invited few heckles, anyone hoping for some political knockabout of the kind Opik has been subjected on during Have I Got News For You would be disappointed.

It's time for Lembit Opik to do some sole searching

Not content with being a complete joke, Lembit Opik now wants to make them too. Opik, boringly dressed in a suit with a Lib-Dem rosette, turned out to have only his own story to tell.