Matt Lucas

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.

It is, quite simply, rubbish. I could go on: crass, juvenile, ill-judged, piss-poorly written, annoying. What was Michael Gambon thinking when he agreed to narrate? Matt Lucas does make a valiant, singlehanded attempt to rescue it, with a spirited performance as the evil Chancellor Dongalor. I did quite enjoy him emptying his chamberpot over Sean Maguire. Golden Powers, the title of this episode, turn to golden showers. But poor Matt is up against too much. The best thing about this second episode is that it was only half as long as last week's opener.

Another episode filled with silliness. Kröd and Aneka fake their own deaths and their bodies are delivered to the magnificent Matt Lucas's Dongalor, who checks for signs of life by sticking his face in Aneka's cleavage. Kröd wishes he could do the same but Aneka has dumped him and a rival hunk looks like wrecking his dreams of a reunion.