Mark Silcox

TV/Online review: The Luke McQueen Pilots

The second of his three pilots spoofing TV formats is a little close to home for comedian Luke McQueen.

The Luke McQueen Pilots: Sex With My Father review

After a disappointing opening episode that failed to make its mark among so many other awkward mockumentaries, the second of Luke McQueen's supposedly aborted BBC pilots is on a firmer footing. Even if the title star is outshone by fellow comic Mark Silcox, who quietly steals every scene he's in.

Laugh Out London's Edinburgh Fringe Awards 2018

It's been another amazing Edinburgh Festival Fringe full of great comedy, captivating drama and too many chips. The Edinburgh Comedy Awards have made their decision on who won this year's festival, but we now bring you the only awards that truly matter - Laugh Out London's Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Awards, also known as the LOLlies.

Comedian protests about his own BBC show

Comedian Luke McQueen has been staging a series of fake protests in London and Edinburgh, urging people not to watch his forthcoming BBC Three show.

Edinburgh Fringe day 13

I ended today soaked through with Irn Bru and rain.

TV Bomb Award nominees announced

The nominees have been announced for the inaugural TV Bomb Fringe Awards.

New comedy Rovers sees the reunion of Royle Family members Craig Cash and Sue Johnston. Cash stars in the role of Pete Moat a die-hard fan of non-league football team Redbridge Rovers and a man who is part of a motley crew of supporters who huddle together in the team's clubhouse. Among them is his best friend Tel (Steve Spiers) who recently came out as gay and now Pete has to share him with super-stylish boyfriend Mel (Seb Cardinal). Then there's twin brothers Bruce and Lee (writers David Earl and Joe Wilkinson) who enjoy winding Pete up and the brilliant Ronnie (Mark Silcox) who runs Redbridge Rovers' very meagre club shop. Overseeing everything is Doreen (Johnston) the queen of the clubhouse who offers up pints alongside salubrious gossip about the team's captain. As well as playing Pete, Cash also serves as director as he has done on previous Sky sitcoms After Hours and The Cafe with Rovers sharing the gentle vibe that both of those comedies offered. Rovers is particularly reminiscent of The Cafe as it is set almost exclusively in one venue and features a variety of colourful characters having fairly mundane conversations with one another. Earl and Wilkinson's script is extremely anecdotal and at times is too low-key for its own good. I feel where it works the most is when the characters are discussing their love of the football team and what it would be like to get to the heady heights of the Evo-Stick Premier League. The small scale nature of the club shop was also a nice little running gag which was aided by Silcox's performance as the deadpan Ronnie. I do feel it's too early to judge whether Rovers will be a success or a failure especially seeing as Earl and Wilkinson had to introduce a cavalcade of characters in one fell swoop. But although there were some funny moments nestled within Rovers I have to say that there wasn't really one character who I wanted to root for. Whilst I'm assuming that Pete is meant to be the character we sympathise with his jealousy towards Mel coupled with his astounding stupidity meant that he was hard to warm to. It also didn't help that Craig Cash was essentially playing the same character we've seen him portray in both The Royle Family and Early Doors. In fact everyone from Johnston to Wilkinson to Spiers was playing a similar version of characters we've seen them play in superior shows which made Rovers feel a little low rent. So, while it's not without its charm, I feel Rovers is destined to nestle in the second division of British sitcoms and will never be promoted to the premier league.

Rovers review

Nothing much happens of note in this world, and it's the comedy of contented smiles rather than gut-busing belly laughs. But Rovers is warmly amusing throughout, with a strong whiff of authenticity and characters you like spending time with. "Everyone's really nice, aren't they?" says Sam after meeting the tiny fan club. Yep, Sam, they are.

Comedian to ban women from his next Edinburgh show

A comedian says he'll ban women from the audience of his next Edinburgh show. Mark Silcox says women have 'made my life miserable' - and wants to explore his relationships in a 'safe space' that only an all-male crowd can provide.

The Tommyfield - comedy review

Sometimes club gigs toss you a curveball. Last night's first act, Suzi Ruffell, was taken ill just before going onstage. Newer comics Alex Smith and Mark Silcox gamely plugged the gap while supersub Lloyd Griffith biked over from Battersea.