Matt Lucas

After a seven-year hiatus - aside from last year's so-so Christmas special - the madcap quiz show returns for a sixth series. Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer are once again at the helm, while Little Britain's Matt Lucas returns as the ever-excitable George Dawes, the man with the scores. Joining team captains Jack Dee - who replaces Will Self from the last series in 2002 - and Ulrika Jonsson this week are The One Show's Christine Bleakley, 21-year-old pop star DJ Ironik and comedians Paddy McGuinness and Dan Skinner, the latter of whom appears in the guise of a Greek burger van owner called Angelos Epithemiou.

The show, which first aired in 1993, has always divided opinion: many have found it refreshingly quirky, while others believe it to be just annoyingly bizarre.

Certainly, the aficionados will be pleased to hear that its basic format is staying true to its roots. Sadly, though, the surreal, frenetic humour which characterised Shooting Stars in its heyday now feels a little stale - and perhaps slightly forced. Nevertheless, the show still has its moments. Reeves's shameless leering and harassment of a game Bleakley, in particular, will draw a smile. The highlight of tonight's series opener, however, is the appearance of comic newcomer Epithemiou, whose lugubrious style is such that it makes the cranky and deadpan Jack Dee seem comparatively sprightly.

On the Tube into work this morning, I saw a woman who must have been in her late eighties with bright, fuschia-pink hair, piled on the top of he head and held in place by matching fuschia-pink butterfly-shaped hair grips, a white dress with enormous red polka dots and what looked suspiciously like a ra-ra skirt, and shoes that wouldn't have looked out in place in The Wizard of Oz. By trying so hard, she just looked tired and out-of-date - a fitting metaphor for this completely unnecessary (and, criminally, unfunny) revival of something that was once the funniest show on television. Reeves & Mortimer return with Ulrika Jonsson and Jack Dee as team captains and Matt Lucas's George Dawes keeping scores.

After a one-off Christmas special, someone had the bright idea of bringing back Shooting Stars for a new series. It was an odd decision, as this surreal, not-a-panel-game feels threadbare and tired. Sadly, time has not been kind. Team captains Jack Dee and Ulrika Jonsson do their best, but they don't have much to work with. The guests, particularly The One Show's Christine Bleakley, are game and do their best but it's a slog. Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer still have their moments, of course; Reeves's impressions of an unintelligible club singer are still funny; and it's good to see Matt Lucas again as the excitable big baby George Dawes. At least he looks like he's having fun. But generally the humour is too scatological and the madness that characterised Shooting Stars in its heyday and which made the show feel fresh and unlike anything else, now feels forced.

Matt Lucas introduces Angelos Epithemiou

Regular readers may remember that a few weeks ago we revealed some info about the new series of Shooting Stars, including news of a new permanent team member. Well, now you can find out exactly who he is and also about his van in this exclusive interview with Matt Lucas (aka George Dawes).

Also back in front of an audience is the once-retired, always inspired Shooting Stars. After returning from a six-year break with last year's Christmas special, Vic and Bob will once more be summoning Donald Cox The Sweaty Fox as they're joined by Ulrika-ka-ka, Jack Dee and George Dawes himself, Matt Lucas, for a full new series in September. Uvavu!

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire had as its "situation" a band of medieval outlaws, led by Krod, battling against an evil regime, represented by provincial governor Dongalor. Krod, a handsome, muscled hero, played by Sean Maguire in apparently the same mould as Sean Bean's Boromir in Lord of the Rings, is nevertheless a self-doubting, politically correct idiot; Dongalor, played by Little Britain's Matt Lucas, is a ludicrously sadistic narcissist with a Noel Coward drawing-room accent. The comedy is meant to come from the collision of the style of medieval heroics with sophisticated, amoral urbanity. You could see the clash - too clearly - but it sparked no wit

Other than the editor and owners of The Daily Telegraph, the only folk actively praying for the expenses ballyhoo to continue are Dara O'Briain, Russell Howard, Frankie Boyle, Hugh Dennis and that bloke who looks like Matt Lucas' character out of Krod Mandoon (Andy Parsons). Let's hope they make the most of it as guests Frank Skinner and Gina Yashere join the teams.

Krod Mandoon 5 review

I'm not entirely sure when a part of my soul died last night. Maybe it was when Matt Lucas was being painted topless? Or when Krod and his gang were turned into dogs and we endured scenes that made Look Who's Talking Now look like Annie Hall?

Video: Matt Lucas and Sean Maguire interview

For fans of action comedy Krod Mandoon, and those of you that missed the red button, here is an exclusive behind the scenes interview with Matt Lucas and Sean Maguire. It's not your normal behind the scenes stuff either as they cover the spectrum from, over friendly masseurs to Nazi rallies in Budapest and the pleasures of wearing a hairy cod piece.

The madcap sword and sorcery spoof - a blend of adolescent ribaldry and Pythonesque silliness - continues as Krod (Sean Maguire) is dispatched by the Elite Resistance Council on another hapless quest. Meanwhile Dongalor (Matt Lucas) scours the land to find the last ingredient he needs to make his super-weapon operational: the tears of a pagan woman.