Sara Pascoe

The recession is preying on the minds of tonight's stand-up comedians. Sara Pascoe has a solution to credit card debt: make chip and pin machines talk like disapproving parents ("But you've already got a coat!"). Host Kevin Bridges is on flying form, dissecting the financial crisis: "Europe's skint, America's skint," he notes sadly. "I hope Africa have got some good rock bands, because we need a concert."

But the surprise of the show is Phill Jupitus, who comes on with the moody confidence of a man with nothing to prove. He doesn't bother with gags; he just does one long, taboo-torturing routine about dealing with his daughter's boyfriend. It's like a whole sitcom boiled down to one routine, and it's brilliant.

Arguably the most successful stand-up show on British TV has returned for its eighth series on BBC One, and not much has changed.

This opening episode featured Dara O'Briain as the headline act, mostly talking about stupid things people do in their holidays, including his own experience at trying to surf in Australia. Guest Danny Bhoy also talked a lot about Australia, as well as the problems Scotland might have if they get into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, the best act on the night for me was ventriloquist Nina Conti, who did a brilliant improvisation act which involved getting two members of the audience on stage and making them wear fake mouths which she controlled, turning the pair into life-sized dummies.

Live at the Apollo demonstrates some of the great comic talents that are out there, but once again the show still has the problems. Firstly is the length of the show. It used to be 45 minutes, now it's 30 minutes. Admittedly there are extended repeats, but for the last series they didn't appear until months later. Personally I think they should scrap the 30 minute format and just have the straight 45 minutes.

The other, bigger complaint Live at the Apollo gets is the lack of diversity among the comics chosen. The main one is the lack of women. Other than Conti the only other women appearing are Kerry Godliman and Sara Pascoe. Now given that Conti, who is both a woman and the first ventriloquist to appear on the programme, was the funniest person on in the latest episode, I think that's proof that a bigger range of performers could do wonders for it...

In this new series on Radio 4, comic ranter Andrew Lawrence explores different social themes - from their impact in the modern world and throughout the rest of history - alongside fellow comedians Marek Larwood and Sara Pascoe.

In the opening episode, Lawrence looked at the subject of diet and food in his usual style; Lawrence's delivery is highly enjoyable if you can get into it. For some, it might be a bit too rapid-fire, but if you can keep up with the pace it does often pay off in big laughs.

Lawrence also cleverly avoids falling into the trap that many "ranters" fall into, which is that he avoids coming across as too angry. Some comedians often like to build up to a massive rage, but with his more deadpan approach Lawrence's commentary is a lot more subtle than most.

For those who do find the delivery too speedy for them, luckily the show is broken up with sketches and songs. The songs in question were something of a highlight in the programme, my personal favourite being Lawrence's guide to rickets. In the end, a good opening episode.

This amusing stand-up showcase returns for its fourth series. Host Jon Richardson heads up a team of fellow comedians Seann Walsh, Josh Widdicombe, Sara Pascoe, Paul Chowdhry and new member Andrew Lawrence. They take it in turns to do a spot of stand-up on the stage of London's Clapham Grand, taking an alternative look (which mostly means they swear sometimes) at the events of the week.

My Edinburgh: Sara Pascoe, comedian

I really like it up here. If Britain was a house, then Scotland is this beautiful airy loft with hills in it.

An interview with: Sara Pascoe

Sara Pascoe is a writer, stand-up comedian, and actress, but not necessarily in that order...

Not before time, the creator of Smack the Pony and Green Wing, Victoria Pile, is returning with a new comedy. Campus, set in the fictional Kirke University, will screen on Channel 4 from 5 April. The semi-improvised sitcom piloted on the channel's Comedy Showcase in 2009 when it attracted good reviews and a smattering of criticism for describing Stephen Hawking as a "famously disabled spastic" in the first minute. I've now seen the first two episodes and can confirm that that joke, from David Brent-esque vice chancellor Jonty de Wolfe (Andy Nyman), has made the cut, but there is still much to appreciate in Campus. Like Green Wing, the hour-long episodes have a surreal, stop-start momentum, a woozy soundtrack from Jonathan Whitehead and a familiar cast of characters: lecherous lecturer Matt Beer and bespectacled spod Imogen Moffatt are already set to be the show's Guy and Caroline. Watch out, too, for the administrative office, staffed by rising stars Sara Pascoe and Will Adamsdale.