British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
Comedy writer? Stand-up comedian? Looking to progress? Join BCG Pro
Peter Cook. Copyright: BBC
Peter Cook

Peter Cook (I)

  • English
  • Actor and writer

Peter Cook features

Frankie Howerd: In His Own Words. Frankie Howerd Features

Comedy Chronicles: Setbacks & Fightbacks #3 - Frankie Howerd, The serial survivor

Sunday 29th June 2025

Biographer Graham McCann charts the varied ups-and-downs in the long, remarkable career of comedy icon Frankie Howerd.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Image shows from L to R: Tony Slattery, Clive Anderson, Colin Mochrie, Caroline Quentin, Ryan Stiles. Copyright: Hat Trick Productions Features

Comedy Rewind: Improv aplenty in Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Sunday 25th May 2025

Through the 1990s, one particular series dominated Channel 4's comedy offerings: the improvisation game Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Statler and Waldorf Features

Comedy Chronicles: Kindly get on the stage - The real comic heritage of heckling

Sunday 6th April 2025

What many hecklers, these days, fail to understand, is that the best hecklers are comedians. That's why they're up on the stage and we're down in the stalls.

The Morecambe & Wise Show. Image shows from L to R: Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise. Copyright: Thames Television Features

Christmas crackers: 7 seasonal specials

Sunday 22nd December 2024

Stuck for which Christmas specials to dig out this year? Tim Dawson suggests 7 classic comedy specials to have you hooting.

The Likely Lads. Image shows from L to R: Terry Collier (James Bolam), Bob Ferris (Rodney Bewes) Features

Comedy Rewind: A likely story - The Likely Lads

Sunday 15th December 2024

As it celebrates its sixtieth anniversary we pay tribute to The Likely Lads, a pioneering series that helped popularise realism in television comedy.

Till Death Us Do Part. Image shows left to right: Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell), Arthur Blenkinsopp (Eric Sykes). Credit: BBC Features

Comedy Chronicles: Up the polls! - Election campaigns and comedy

Sunday 30th June 2024

Comedy and politics regularly mix, but there has long been a significant hesitation amongst television broadcasters to poke fun during election campaign periods.

Peter Cook Features

Comedy Chronicles: Pete and Club: Peter Cook's Establishment

Sunday 16th July 2023

The remarkable and little-told full story of the rise and fall of Peter Cook's famed satirical nightclub, The Establishment.

Sid James Features

Comedy Chronicles: The ITV Job - The day when the BBC almost lost British comedy

Sunday 26th June 2022

Graham McCann's column charts a fascinating 'what if' moment in British television comedy history: a fork in the road that had consequences of epic proportions in either direction.

Image shows from L to R: Dave Allen, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore Features

Comedy Chronicles: Just very naughty boys - Dave Allen, Peter Cook & Dudley Moore Down Under

Sunday 5th September 2021

Censorship can seem to be ever-growing in modern times: new "woke" sensibilities clashing with long-established political correctness, and both in turn with classical liberalism - but it is nothing new, as Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Dave Allen found out 50 years ago this month on Australian television.

Peter Cook. Copyright: BBC Features

Comedy Chronicles: I can't talk now, 'cos he's here - The true story of Peter Cook's Where Do I Sit?

Sunday 22nd August 2021

In an age that sees television celebrated when chaotic and rough-around-the-edges, we look back to 1971 and Peter Cook's chat show, Where Do I Sit? - deemed such a disaster it was cancelled after just three episodes.

Share this page

Subscribe to our newsletters