Nick Newman

Today's comics on Spike Milligan: the godfather of alternative comedy

He was the shellshocked genius who channelled his anarchic brilliance into The Goon Show. Ian Hislop and Nick Newman explain why they've written a play about Spike Milligan - while comedians remember a legend.

First Look: Spike at The Watermill Theatre in rehearsal

First look rehearsal images have been released for the world premiere of Spike, a new comedy by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman and Spike Milligan.

Unexploded WW2 bomb threatens Private Eye deadline

Private Eye drew on the Blitz spirit to get the magazine off to print on time after an unexploded Second World War bomb forced staff to evacuate the newsroom and relocate to the pub. Editor Ian Hislop was away while the drama unfolded in Soho, London, yesterday afternoon with Nick Newman standing in to finish off the jokes and cover on the fortnightly print title ahead of its 6pm deadline.

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman interview

Ian Hislop and writing partner Nick Newman on the state - and history - of satire. "There's a feeling of people not wanting jokes any more."

Inside the world of Private Eye's cartoonists

Every fortnight the satirical magazine chooses a selection of the best topical cartoons, but as the artists tell us, the competition can be brutal...

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman interview

The long-term writing partners talk about a disastrous experience with a confused Hollywood megastar led to their first play together since their teens.

One of our finest cricketers, Dave Podmore (Test batting average: four) is bereft. His beloved dog Saxon is dead. And, as befits a great canine and a great master, only the most lavish of funeral ceremonies will do.

Fans of the Pod will smell the stench of oncoming disaster at this point - anything involving Dave either spending or trying to earn money is doomed. This time the cost of hiring Gareth Malone to lead the choir has hit him hard. Could glamorous wife Jackie not help him? She's too busy in the Emirates, setting up her vajazzle franchise. And so Pod must fall back on his cricketing knowledge to earn some money. Who better than he to represent England at the Ashes press conference . . ?

Chris Douglas, Andrew Nickolds and Nick Newman's writing remains as sharp as any Poms vs Aussie rivalry. Best Pod line at the press conference? "If it wasn't for Ant and Dec, no one would have heard of Australia."