Ray Winstone

Two regular features should be adopted forthwith by other chat shows. The first is getting the studio audience to chip in with questions. Tonight a fan asks popstar-turned-physicist Brian Cox the ticklish "Which are better - pop groupies or science groupies?" and gets an unequivocal answer.

Another innovation is, of course, Brydon's fondness for the loosely strung sing-song, led this week by Kelly Jones of Stereophonics on acoustic guitar as Brydon bellows through Pretty Woman - with help from Ray Winstone. But before that, there's Brydon's banter with his audience members, including a man literally born in a toilet: "I'm glad we've flushed you out..."

Swerving onto Jonathan's sofa tonight is Formula One driver Jenson Button, who hasn't been having the best of seasons on the track. He may prefer not to dwell on his restaurant venture in Harrogate, either, which was forced to close recently due to poor business.

More cheerful, then, to discuss his love of triathlons - Button hosted his own recently as part of his fundraising efforts on behalf of Help for Heroes.

Also dropping by is Ray Winstone, whose macho remake of The Sweeney (he plays Jack Regan, of course) opens in cinemas soon. Best of all, the wonderful Suranne Jones talks about her role in Sky1's spoof cop drama A Touch of Cloth, which starts tomorrow at 9pm.

He may not be to everyone's taste but there's no doubting that Jonathan Ross can still attract the big names. Tonight, the ebullient chat show host is joined by tough-guy actor Ray Winstone, who discusses his new film The Sweeney. F1 driver Jenson Button and actress Suranne Jones - who stars in Charlie Brooker's spoof A Touch of Cloth, which starts on Sunday - are also in the studio. The music comes from R'n'B girl group Stooshe.

The talkative host welcomes Sacha Baron Cohen in character as Supreme Leader Admiral General Aladeen of Wadiya to plug his latest film The Dictator, tonight. The actors from the film Snow White and the Huntsman are also out in promotional force tonight, with Ray Winstone appearing here and his co-star Kristen Stewart appearing on The Graham Norton Show. Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby make up the numbers and music comes from Rebecca Ferguson.

In Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder, the comic makes a break from the character of the pub landlord in a sketch-show format from the Viz school of comedy. I liked The PC PCs, forced to take control of a hostage situation because the firearms officers were off on a diversity course learning Latin. "Right!" bellowed Sarge at the hostage-taker. "We know you're in there, and more importantly, we know you 'ad an un'appy childhood." I also enjoyed the trailer for ITV1's compelling new autumn drama, "Gandhi", starring Ray Winstone ("If that Mountbatten comes in 'ere talking compromise, I'll tear 'im a new arsehole"). Not sure the sketch will repair ITV1's fortunes, but there'd surely be viewers for "Gandhi".

Al Murray is so convincing as the Pub Landlord that, like Ricky Gervais, you start to worry where the actor ends and the role begins. That's why it is such a wonderful surprise to see him playing so many different characters in this new sketch show. One of the best is the gentleman safe breaker who, having been caught, talks his way out of arrest. Better still is the airline pilot who rambles on over the intercom about his sex-change operation. A couple of sketches are based on great ideas - one being the trailer for an ITV drama starring Ray Winstone as Ghandi. And for lovers of old-fashioned vaudeville who yearn for the days of Dick Emery, Murray plays a Nazi dressed in pink who can't wait to get down to some serious interrogating.