Robert Webb

Behind those stick-on whiskers, Robert Webb's innocent, ­dim-witted face has got "gullible sucker" written all over it.

And, as the Dickensian spoof returns, Bleak Old Shop proprietor Jedrington Secret-Past and his family are about to be catapulted into a world of untold wealth thanks to a business opportunity that sounds almost too good to be true.

While last year's Christmas special was full of lots of soft, wordy humour that showed off its radio roots, the first of this ­new BBC2 three-parter takes a more ­straightforward route to the viewers' funny bone.

And if you don't laugh at The Apprentice and Tesco gags then there's really ­something wrong with you. Katherine Parkinson is wonderful as Jedrington's wife Conceptiva, who is being taunted (Lady Dedlock-style) about her very own secret past.

Her insistence on doing everything without any help from her new servants is a lovely detail, while Waterloo Road's Sarah Hadland pops up, quite literally tonight, as a very different kind of teacher to what we've seen before.

This sitcom may represent the height of ­silliness, but it's also very clever.

Robert Webb and Katherine Parkinson return for three new episodes of the rip-snorting historical romp that puts a banger up Dickens. Now over his festive difficulties at debtors' prison, Jedrington Secret-Past (Webb) begins a joint business venture with the innocuously named Harmswell Grimstone (Tim McInnerny) and Jedrington's wife Conceptiva (Parkinson) receives a distressing letter which threatens to send her even barmier than that treacle addiction. It's demented, gag-jammed fun. Above all, this shop sells that most old-fashioned of commodities - proper jokes.

This Dickens spoof revolving around Jedrington - Robert Webb's upright Victorian shopkeeper - first aired as a one-off seasonal indulgence at Christmas. But now - with a plot that sees Jedrington involved with an evil business man as his wife Conceptiva (Katherine Parkinson) struggles to face up to her 'Secret Past' extended over three episodes - it feels drawn out. You sense the series makers straining for some of Blackadder's period irreverence (Tim McInnerny is on hand in support), but the results are like an overlong sketch from That Mitchell And Webb Look or, even worse, a Footlights show, circa 1984. A few good gags aside - such as the Oxford Emotional Dictionary that Jedrington consults to decipher his wife's womanly whims - there's only so many times you can laugh at these quaint Victorians.

Mark Evans's Bleak Expectations worked on Radio 4 because it was the right medium for the sparkling wordplay of his Dickensian pastiche. Transferring to TV, even with a tweaked concept, did its comic style no favours. The recent Christmas special met a flat reception partly because so many comedy stars signed up, slugging it out over thin material. This follow-on series sees Jedrington Secret-Past (Robert Webb) embark on a new venture with Harmswell Grimstone (Tim McInnerny).

Room 101: Rule of three

It seems to work. Robert Webb, Danny Baker and Fern Britton were the guests on Friday and, with the floor open for a wider conversation and more criticism of individual choices, we pretty much have a new show on our hands that manages to retain the point of the concept.

A revamped Room 101, with a tinder-dry Frank Skinner stepping bravely into Paul Merton's shoes and playing a blinder, is a winner in its new format, having all three guests there simultaneously, and categorised rounds. Robert Webb roughly won, mainly by sending Jeremy Kyle - goodness but there were some worrying clips - into the masher, though Danny Baker, with his honestly newfound if existentially confusing hatred of TV panel games - "just a Jeremy Kyle show that's been though college" - was the true hit. That's not the point. This is. During the titles of this programme, which if you've forgotten is about things we all hate, up popped the phrase "unexpected item in baggage area".

The ranty comedy show returns with a new look, a new presenter (Frank Skinner) and a new format: three guests have to compete to get their pet hates consigned to the sin bin. It all works rather well, with Robert Webb, Danny Baker and Fern Britton's banter with Skinner making this first episode feel like you're eavesdropping on a lively discussion down the pub. It's worth viewing alone for the moment the three fellas round on Fern - for slagging off Star Wars.

There's a moment when guest Danny Baker suggests that TV panel shows - "those with bottom-of-the bill comedians" - should be banished to Room 101 oblivion. It causes more than a ripple of concern. "If I put panel shows in, I'm going to be out of work, plus I don't know what'll happen to this show. We'll just have to close down," argues host Frank Skinner. And that would be a shame because the show's revamp has given it a new lease of life.

The main change is that there are three celebrity guests (Fern Britton and the wonderful Robert Webb joining Baker this time) all vying to get their pet peeves consigned to the Orwellian dumpster. So discussions are livelier and - inevitably - funnier as they squabble over each submission and spark off each other. However, you may be baffled by how many Action Man and Barbie dolls pop up as props because Skinner successfully binned them when he appeared on the show in 1995.

It's back, with shiny new titles, Frank Skinner in place of Paul Merton and not one but three guests competing to have pet hates banished for ever. Robert Webb, Danny Baker and Fern Britton select peeves such as homework, sci-fi, PE and punk, but it has all the awkwardness of a bad dinner party and little of the easy, intimate wit and banter of the original show; the best fun to be had is Webb's seeming disdain for the rather tedious Britton, who seems to think she's on Grumpy Old Women. Maybe future contestants - among them Alistair McGowan, Josh Groban, Sarah Millican and Alice Cooper - will make this more likeable, though they'll have a job getting laughs from the likes of Gregg Wallace, Gabby Logan and Mark Lawrenson.

Room 101 offered a new, paired down format

Room 101 was entertaining enough as new host Frank Skinner was joined by Danny Baker, Fern Britton and Robert Webb, but this was a blander, bleached version of the classic comedy show.