Patrick Kielty

Every day, in a stairwell at Broadcasting House, I pass by a photograph of Nicholas Parsons. If you haven't seen that photo, you've seen one like it. Down the years, Nicholas must have been photographed thousands of times with timepieces of all descriptions. He is invariably pointing at them, and beaming as if the clock in question is the most wonderful object ever conceived.

And well he might. Since the earliest days of Radio 4 in 1967, Nicholas has presided over Just a Minute with the same glee exhibited in every publicity shot. His cry of "Welcome to Just a Minute!" at the start of each programme is as enthusiastic a greeting as you'll hear on the radio... an enthusiasm that the passing decades have not dimmed.

His cheery and wily chairmanship are the backbone of it all, with the game's players giving the show new form every week. For a programme obsessed with the passing seconds, time has robbed it of some of its most accomplished participants. Paul Merton is now the mainstay, though he's not here for this first edition of a new series: here it's Gyles Brandreth who picks up and runs with his topics, full of clever word play, boisterous energy and mischief.

As always, anarchy is never far away. In round one, panellist Patrick Kielty accuses Parsons of behaving like a contestant and awards him a point. Never a wasted minute.

You may want to tune into Radio 2 on Thursday at 9.30pm to hear their New Comedy Awards 2012, the first of two semi-finals in a nationwide talent search. At London's Leicester Square Theatre, Patrick Kielty hosts six acts (from over 800 entries) competing for the prize of £1,000 and a commission from radio comedy. Six more semi-finalists next week, from The Sage Gateshead.

Patrick Kielty weds Cat Deeley in secret Rome ceremony

Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty have reportedly married in Italy.

Patrick Kielty: I'm not engaged to Cat Deeley

Patrick Kielty has rubbished rumours that he is set to wed his TV presenter girlfriend Cat Deeley.

Has Patrick Kielty popped the question?

Patrick Kielty has reportedly asked Cat Deeley to be his wife.

Cat Deeley reveals joy at romance with Patrick Kielty

Cat Deeley has spoken for the first time about her romance with Patrick Kielty, saying: "I have finally seen the light."

While Sport Relief night tends to be overrun by comedians attempting to locate their inner athlete, here five sports personalities turn the tables by trying their hand at standup comedy. The brave volunteers include England cricketer Michael Vaughan, rugby star Ben Cohen and broadcaster Gabby Logan. Each gets a mentor (among them Patrick Kielty and Jason Manford) to provide advice, inspiration and possibly a shoulder to cry on, as they hone their material for three minutes in front of a live audience.

Patrick Kielty confirms relationship with Cat Deeley

They are possibly one of the most unlikely couples to come out of the showbiz world for a long time. But last night, after refusing to comment on rumours of a romance, Patrick Kielty confirmed his relationship with Cat Deeley.

As Alan Carr takes the stage to introduce tonight's stand-up layer-cake, there's a problem. He's not looking at his best. Not only has he already got sweat patches under his arms (entirely forgiveable) but his flies are undone (less so). Could nobody in the production crew have noticed his costume malfunction before they sent the poor man out on stage in front of an excitable Hammersmith audience and half a dozen TV cameras?

To any other comedian such lèse majesté might be a problem, but not Carr, whose act involves belittling himself at every turn in any case: this is a man so shameless he can make comedy from the sweat under his own man boobs. As he cruises through material on vajazzling, wave machines and driving tests, the shambling self-mockery keeps coming, and keeps working.

The very likeable Andi Osho follows, with some good material on sex and relationships ("I don't want the sort of man who licks his finger before turning the page on a Kindle"). And Patrick Kielty takes very public revenge on Daybreak's Adrian Chiles.

Tonight's host of the comedy showcase is Alan Carr (that's the Carr who wears glasses and is camper than Butlin's). He is not just the host but, as it turns out, by far the star turn as he introduces performances from up-and-coming comedian Andi Osho and a disappointing Patrick Kielty.