Paul O'Grady

The stars catapulted to TV fame from the fringe

Lily Savage, The League of Gentlemen, Fleabag and a host of telly sensations started out on tiny stages at the extravaganza. In its absence, who will be next?

LGBT awards: Stephen Fry given lifetime honour

Stephen Fry and Paul O'Grady were among those honoured at the 2019 British LGBT awards for defending the community and advancing LGBT rights.

How Edinburgh changed British comedy

Comedy did not feature at all when the Edinburgh Fringe began but over the past three decades it has become the "spiritual home" of Britain's funny folk.

Paul O'Grady to host new Blind Date

Paul O'Grady has said he is honoured to host the new version of Blind Date when it returns this year. The matchmaking show will include LGBT contestants for the first time, in its new incarnation on Channel 5.

Count Arthur Strong to appear in panto

Count Arthur Strong is make his real-life pantomime debut. The bumbling character created by Steve Delaney is to play Baron Hardup in Cinderella at the London Palladium this Christmas.

Comics with spectacular ha-ha homes

There are turrets and timbers, thatched roofs, private moorings and even an island. One home even has a secret garage, another boasts a 400-year-old walled garden. Yes, the titans of the comedy world have done rather nicely out of making people laugh.

Paul O'Grady presents the first in a series chronicling the career of Britain's most celebrated patter merchant. Having worked as a standup, cartoonist, gameshow host, stage performer and actor, there's a lot of Monkhouse to explore. Luckily, his habit of archiving his work provides enough material to fill an entire channel. There are tough times touched on, too, not least the tale of Bob's partnership with Denis Goodwin, making for a slicker than average comedy retrospective.