Rula Lenska

Preview: Inside No 9 - The Devil Of Christmas

A new series of Inside No 9 starts in early 2017 but as a brilliant curtain raiser here's a one-off episode with a Yuletide theme. The Devil of Christmas is set in December 1977 in an Alpine chalet where a nice middle class English family has arrived to enjoy a skiing holiday.

Rula Lenska interview

Television's glamorous doyen shares her love of the natural world and the secret to her calmness.

Lenska: Brexit will block foreign artists from Fringe

Veteran actor Rula Lenska, who is this year making her debut on the Edinburgh Fringe, has warned that the Brexit vote will block international artists from the festival.

Lenska's 'joy' at Fringe show role

Small-screen siren Rula Lenska has spoken of the "privilege" of being asked to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe in an industry that under-represents older women.

Hard Rock Café cook up a storm for Eurobeat Moldova

Last night the cast of Eurobeat Moldova, the Eurovision spoof, stepped inside Hard Rock Café on George Street in costume to enjoy a specially devised menu. And now you can too.

BBC at the Edinburgh Festivals 2016

An all-star line-up of top comedy, arts, writing and music - as well showcases for new fresh talent - will be at the heart of the BBC's Edinburgh Festivals coverage across TV, radio and online.

Happy feet: matching socks with their Fringe performer

Comedian and renowned sockspert Arthur Smith attempts the improbable.

50 unmissable shows at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016

We've picked out some of the more accessible yet offbeat, less mainstream offerings from this years jumbo Edinburgh Fringe line-up. Also, look out for our reviews article once the festival kicks off!

Eurobeat - Rula Lenska interview

Rula Lenska is looking over the Aegean from the Greek coast as the sun sets on another bakinghot day. Soaking up the view, she looks the very model of a European citizen - not least because this English-born daughter of Polish refugees has arrived at her holiday destination after a continental road trip. "We drove 2,000km from Poland, through Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Macedonia into Greece," she says.

It's a fate you wouldn't wish on your own worst enemy: Bruce Forsyth must have done something very bad in a former life to have his recent gruesome grilling by Piers Morgan, a man who insists on probing where no one wants to go, swiftly followed by the undercooked fawn-fest that was Bruce Forsyth: A Comedy Roast.

Starting with the dreaded words 'please welcome your host... Jimmy Carr!', a phrase guaranteed to have me instantly gagging (but not in a good way), C4's resident Smug MC, a ventriloquist's doll in human form, launched into his unique brand of makes-you-want-to-slap-him charm. 'A roast is like good-natured bullying,' he smirked. 'Good-natured in that it's happening to someone else, not you.' Unbelievably it was downhill from there, a gruesome selection of backslapping/stabbing blokes taking turns to out un-funny each other. Jonathan Ross started off with his tired effing and blinding routine, clearly miffed he wasn't talking about his favourite subject (himself). No, he was there to dishonour Bruczie, so what did Ross's rapier-like wit conjure up? No idea, it was instantly forgettable, other than setting up the night's weary theme: wow, Bruce Forsyth is, like, really old. He's done lots of dodgy gameshows. And he's got a chin. And a beautiful wife. Satire it wasn't.

Jimmy Hill's chin twin guffawed through gritted teeth throughout, taking it on the proverbial. But his lizard-like stare needed double-glazing to get through the kill-the-room combo of Bruno Tonioli and Arlene Phillips, whose contribution was up there with such classic double acts as Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood and Rula Lenska and George Galloway for making you want to stab your eyes out.

All this crackling-free, toothless 'roast' proved was that the more people ho think they are funny there are in a room, the less likely you are to have a laugh. Only Sean Lock emerged with dignity intact but his best line - a dig about being surprised that Ross turned up in person instead of persecuting a national treasure by phone - was all over the trailers, so you'd heard it anyway. Next up it's Sharon Osbourne then Chris Tarrant - truly, C4, you are spoiling us.