Paul Daniels

Video: Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee interview

Currently starring at the Edinburgh Fringe 2011, legendary magician Paul Daniels and the lovely Debbie McGee talked to STV about why the capital has "the best festival in the world".

Comedy reviews (Link expired)

Reviews of Scott Capurro, Sarah Pascoe, Paul Daniels, Simon Munnery, Benet Brandrethp and Elis James.

Udderbelly returns with a hooves who of comedy

The giant upside-down purple cow of mirth is back on the south bank, and there's some good stuff to be found such as David O'Doherty, Isy Suttie and, er, Paul Daniels. Run these past-eur-ise ...

If you thought that George Galloway pretending to be a cat on Big Brother was bizarre, ITV1 has cranked up the weird-o-meter with this programme, which must have been conceived after a heavy-drinking session among channel executives. It involves one famous person doing an impression of another - a concept that could result in an awful abyss of ineptitude and sycophancy, with Stephen Mullhern's commentary digging it into an even deeper hole. But read this line-up and defy yourself not to be horribly compelled to watch. Joe Pasquale as Lady Gaga, David Gest as Sir Tom Jones, Jerry Hall as Katie Price, Christopher Biggins as Boris Johnson, Vanessa Feltz as James May, Tim Healy and Paul Daniels as an elderly Ant and Dec. Pardon?

Spoon, Jar, Jar, Spoon - The Two Sides of Tommy Cooper (Radio 4) was a great idea, looking at the comedian as a magician in particular. In its portrayal of London's specialist magic shops in the 60s and 70s, many of which were effectively private clubs for magicians, it was especially evocative.

"For a high-profile star like Tommy," said presenter Rob Brydon, "magic shops were a tantalising place to hide." Brydon went on to mention "the relaxed atmosphere, the comfy sofas, and cocktails from the small bar", all of which provoked a peeved cackle from contributor Paul Daniels. "I don't know about the cocktails," he laughed, sounding a bit stung. "I was never offered one." And those comfy sofas he pointedly remembered simply as "settees".

When the programme stuck to this angle, and resisted general assessment of Cooper, it added something new to our understanding of him. I liked hearing that he got his first magic set at the age of eight from his Aunt Lucy, and how magic-shop owners would teach and sell Cooper tricks that he then took to huge audiences. "His trick," observed Brydon sagely, "was to make magic look complicated, but entertaining look simple."