Richard Curtis

Richard Curtis plunges headfirst into the Swinging Sixties with this flimsy comedy about a pirate radio station. This colourful period of history should have provided a wealth of rich material but Curtis fails to pull it together with any coherence. There are funny moments though, with flamboyant personalities including Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy.

The best of Richard Curtis's romcoms about awfully nice chaps dithering over frightfully pretty girls. Hugh Grant plays bumbling Charles, who, ah, er, can't tell what's, um, going on between him and Carrie (Andie MacDowell), whom he keeps bumping into at weddings.

Writing comedy dialogue

Writing dialogue is very personal. Some writers have very distinctive styles that span all the different characters in a show. There are the fast-talkers of Aaron Sorkin's worlds, be they West WingSportsnight or Social Network. There the imaginative comic similes of Richard Curtis and Ben Elton's Blackadder series.

Audio: Curtis sorry over Comic Relief stammer sketch

Richard Curtis, one of the founders of Comic Relief, apologises for any offence caused by a Lenny Henry sketch which joked about stammering.

Referring to the skit, which was based around Colin Firth's performance in the movie The King's Speech, Curtis tells BBC Radio 5 Live: "I would apologise for that."

"It was meant to be a big joke about a very famous film," the comedy writer tells Nicky Campbell on 5 Live Breakfast. "I am sorry."

A reminder of the much-loved, quintessentially English sitcom is combined with the story of how it came together and what the series, which first aired in 1994, achieved, as it followed the cheering misadventures of Dawn French's passionate country vicar. Cast members, including French ("the heart and soul of the show"), and creator/writer Richard Curtis spill the beans.

Another laughable (in a good way) telethon from Richard Curtis and friends hosted by Fearne Cotton, Jonathan Ross et al, and featuring sketches and silliness from James Corden, the cast of Outnumbered, Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan and Armstrong & Miller to name but some. Most exciting-sounding is a Downton Abbey spoof featuring Ade Edmondson, Victoria Wood, Kim Cattrall, Harry Enfield and Joanna Lumley. And the special Red Nose Day edition of MasterChef, which will, if there's any justice, feature Gregg and John trying to perform simple tasks while contestants tut smugly.

Downton Abbey gets Red Nose treatment

You know you've arrived when the likes of Comic Relief and the brilliant minds behind Red Nose Day target you for a parody sketch. Word is that such is the case for the ITV hit, Downton Abbey, this year. The creative minds behind the overall Comic Relief effort, which began in 1985, are Richard Curtis (Mr. Bean, Blackadder, Vicar of Dibley, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually) and Alexander Mendis. Need I say more?

Expletive all for Comic Relief

An expletive-packed phone call from The Thick Of It stars and a walk-on part in the next Richard Curtis film are among lots being offered in a Twitter auction for Comic Relief.

Behind the Britcom - Dawn French on Richard Curtis

Over the next couple of weeks, leading up to the March 2011 PBS premiere of Behind the Britcom: From Script to Screen, our show on paying tribute to the writers of British situation comedy, will, hopefully, give you insight into those writers who's work has created friends and situations that have come in to your home for years.