Richard Herring

Man's first date in 18 years goes wrong at comedy gig

Comedian Richard Herring admits he "probably ruined the man's chances" after his date walked out after two minutes.

Review - Richard Herring: Lord of the Dance Settee

It might be a bit of a cliché to say this, but Herring's previous bouts of misery made for better comedy.

Review: Richard Herring @ The Lowry, Salford

Since splitting from Stewart Lee in 2000 Herring has perfected his rambling yet poignant comedy splutter with tour after tour and award after award.

Richard Herring: I vote for a Parliament of Fools

Let's satirise all our useless politicians by getting a comedian to stand in every single seat. We could fill the House of Commons with people who admit they are laughable idiots. But this Parliament of Fools might be able to do something genuinely constructive.

The human labrador puppy that is Alan Davies hosts spontaneous roundtable discussions in this Dave-commissioned chat show. Circumventing the kind of smug backslapping to which the format is often prone, it's a blend of arch spontaneity and languid patter that works thanks largely to the excellent curation of guests, mostly drawn from the broadsheet/Channel 4 school of cerebral comedy - Richard Herring, Josie Long and Bill Bailey amongst them.

Richard Herring performs 12 different sets in six weeks

Richard Herring is to perform 12 different hour-long stand-up shows in six weeks. The comedian is skipping the Edinburgh Fringe for only the third time in 24 years next summer, but will instead revive all 11 of his previous solo shows in London, with two shows every weekend.

Video: Milton Jones interview

Richard Herring interviews the madcap one-liner comedian.

Live comedy DVDs roundup

Featuring Lee Mack, Richard Herring, Al Murray, Jon Richardson, Jim Davidson and Harry Hill.

I have been enjoying Grace Dent's Saturday morning series on the history of radio comedy, The Frequency of Laughter. She's worked her way from 1975 to 2005, just by talking to two people who were involved in each five-year era. Her questions are insightful, and she creates a relaxed, slightly naughty atmosphere that brings out the best in her interviewees. A couple of them have been quite indiscreet, and what's made those indiscretions more enjoyable is that the producers have tracked down whoever they've been rude about and asked them what they remember. So, in the show that covered 1995-2000, radio producer Paul Schlesinger recalled Sean Lock and Bill Bailey being forced to read out episodes from 15 Storeys High to a reluctant commissioner, who said "I don't understand why this is funny", but grudgingly gave them a few episodes. And then we heard from that very commissioner, who insisted that this was "one of the most joyful moments" he'd ever had in his career, when Bill Bailey read for him. No mention of Lock, whose show it was. Hmm.

In the previous programme, covering 1990-95, Sarah Smith, another Radio 4 producer, admitted that she used to favour certain writers for the satirical sketch show Week Ending: new talent such as Richard Herring and Stewart Lee. Other producers didn't, and lo, we heard from one, Diane Messias. She explained clearly that she believed that topical satire should make a political point and that Lee and Herring didn't do this, creating their jokes by laughing at a situation. "Both methods are valid," she said firmly. "Except I'm right."

Review: Richard Herring's Leicester Square Podcast

When Richard Herring shouts "RHLSTP!" to his audience at the Leicester Square Theatre, they holler it back instantaneously, and at twice the volume. It immediately becomes clear that I've stumbled across a society, a cult, and something that I want to be a part of.