Robert Popper

Interview: Robert Popper

The writer of a sitcom explains why he left the prayers out.

Last year the BBC aired Grandma's House, Simon Amstell's acerbic sitcom about a dysfunctional Jewish family. The very mixed notices it received have clearly not deterred Channel 4, who keep the middle-class Jewish mayhem coming with this new series from writer Robert Popper. Each episode centres on Friday night dinner with the Goodman family. Bickering brothers Adam (Simon Bird, star of The Inbetweeners) and Jonny (newcomer Tom Rosenthal, son of sports broadcaster Jim) are reluctant attendees, while their mother Jackie (Tamsin Greig, fresh from appearing alongside Matt LeBlanc and Stephen Mangan in Episodes) and father Martin (Pulling's Paul Ritter) try to uphold some family values. In tonight's opening episode, Jackie is intent on getting the boys to watch the MasterChef final, while Martin is preoccupied with rescuing old copies of New Scientist from the dump. Things are further complicated by the continual interruptions from weird neighbour Jim (Mark Heap), who claims to have broken his loo. As a comedy, it's not mean-spirited and cynical, but actually rather sweet. Of course, It's too early to say if it'll be a hit - in particular it is unclear whether Bird has acting gears other than his sarcastic, awkward Inbetweeners persona - but there's certainly enough here to keep you watching.

Robert Popper on the secrets of the pig's room

New Channel 4 sitcom revolves around the tics of the Goodmans. And if you share these "familyisms" you must be related, reckons writer Robert Popper.

Gordon Brown didn't throw a tangerine. I made it up

Robert Popper - or should we call him Robin Cooper? - explains why he's addicted to crank calls

In round two, more jokers try to outwit each other: zany stand-up Josie Long, comic writer Robert Popper and - the most impudent by far - actor David Schneider. Success will be rewarded with a "Lucas" - the newest, most arbitrary award around, named after jovial host Matt Lucas. Tonight he's after nominations for the most incomprehensible British accent, least practical pet and best war. That's if his guests can get a gag in edgeways: Lucas can't help jumping in with rib-tickling anecdotes, while selecting winners even more random than his categories. Not that we're complaining; this knocks the socks off the average, smug awards do.

Tangerinegate... by Robert Popper

Last Monday I decided to do one of my silly and - admittedly - childish phone calls under the guise of my Timewaster Letters character, Robin Cooper. Soon the phone call was making the news.

The Tangerinegate hoax

Hats off to Robert Popper, the man behind the Tangerinegate prank. This blog was the first to report the story of Gordon Brown hurling fruit into a lamination machine. But I'm delighted to say that Jim spotted it was a dubious yarn after hearing it on LBC.

Tamsin Greig and Paul Ritter to star in C4 comedy

Single-camera family comedy Friday Night Dinner to be written by Look Around You co-creator Robert Popper.