Omid Djalili

Omid Djalili becomes an Infidel

It's the story of a British Asian Muslim who turns out to be Jewish - oh, and he's played by an Iranian.

With jokes about hands chopped off for thievery and Jihad's Army, Omid Djalili makes the most of his Iranian on the loose in England status. But thankfully The Moid Djalili Show is not just an exercise in potshotting easy targets, it's actually sharply observed comedy show through with laughs.

Though Djalili delights in satirising his own heritage, including a near-the-knuckle gag about how in the Middle East the Samaritans isn't a helpline 'it's a recruitment centre', he's actually at his best when he strays away from his roots. A jive-talking Henry VIII was an oddball highlight, as was an impression of a Somalian pirate captain with a random Nigerian accent. But best of all was Credit Crunch: The Opera which nailed the financial crisis in three tune-busting bailiff-crazed minutes. Move over Robert Peston, give Djalili the gig.

TV Review: The Omid Djalili Show

While I don't buy a fair chunk of what Djalili skits, it was great to see the way he took quite complex political situations and spun them into accessible chunks for the audience. Credit Crunch - The Musical ('Debt Got Heavy') switched me off in a comedic way, but was admirable all the same.

With the face of a mischievous pasha, the grace of a belly dancer, the perspective of an outsider, and an astonishing speed and mastery of detail, the Iranian comedian Omid Djalili comes heavily tooled up with comic weaponry. His new show is a mixture of stand-up and sketches. He is man of many faces and accents. One moment, he plays a Community Support sheriff in a spaghetti western; the next, he is an East End bouncer training for the 2012 Olympics. Best of all is the pilot for a new West End show called Credit Crunch: The Musical.

Omid Djalili always makes me laugh out loud - apart from when he is being unnecessarily rude, of course. Sketches include his take on a new Middle Eastern TV channel and Credit Crunch: The Opera.

Who was the best guest team captain?

A review of Davina McCall, Mark Watson, Dermot O'Leary and Omid Djalili.

Omid Djalili's No Agenda show broadcast on Friday night on Channel 4, gives an interesting demonstration in the art of standup comedy.

Djalili's material sits in the realm of ethnic-observational-social comedy - an under-subscribed niche if ever there was one. All in all it's an amusing show that, while not hilarious all the way through, certainly paints a picture of what a real Iranian and his family are like. And surprise, surprise - they're totally normal.

It all comes together nicely at the end too, as Djalili wraps it up, drawing the threads together with a suitable finale.

A mixed gag - Omid Djalili interview

Djalili sounds pretty chipper and he's got every right to be. Watched by almost four million BBC1 viewers - and that was against X Factor and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - The Omid Djalili Show was a success.

Omid Djalili: I put the 'fat' into 'fatwa'

The charming, challenging British-Iranian comedian Omid Djalili has a new prime-time TV show.