Sarah Millican

Sarah Millican's BBC WC pass

Comic Sarah Millican admits she was chuffed when she finally got her BBC pass - so she could use their toilets while out shopping.

No question, Sarah Millican is an excellent, deservedly award-winning stand-up.

And what does TV like to do with an excellent, deservedly award-winning stand-up?

Yep, it likes to give them their own chat show.

The Sarah Millican Television Programme starts tonight at 10pm on BBC2, with guests including Chris Packham and Tracey Cox (oh behave).

Like most of her material, Sarah Millican's new series doesn't exactly push boundaries; although putting her on the sofa and her guests behind the desk is an intriguing if unexplained inversion of chat-show tradition. But it's a perfectly amiable half-hour of observational comedy, this week built around the TV genres of dating shows and wildlife docs. Guests Chris Packham and Tracey Cox are decent if unadventurous choices and play along gamely. But the 'Millicam' is a pun in need of a purpose, a webcam chat with her dad is an indulgence and an ineptly staged dating masterclass sends the show out on a low after a strong opening. Even so, if format and host can settle down and Millican can strike the right balance, there's potential here.

There aren't many comedians who could ask their studio ­audience which wild animal they'd most like to have sex with and make it sound cuddly rather than crude, but Geordie comic Sarah Millican is one of them.

You can learn comedy timing or how to write a great gag - and she's an expert at both - but you can't learn warmth.

You've either got it or you haven't, and she is a comedy hot-water bottle.

Millican's series is a mixture of chat and comedy and, while that format might invite comparison with Mrs Merton, her guests aren't just there to be mocked.

Sarah becomes the butt of jokes, but she gets maximum points for asking Chris Packham: "Why do you do Springwatch every year? Isn't it the same?"

Also on tonight's show are sexpert Tracey Cox and Sarah's dad Philip, who shares his own no-nonsense philosophy.

We Recommend: The Sarah Millican Television Programme

There are plenty of good jokes here. Sarah Millican is a very endearing host, and her material is endearingly filthy.

Sarah Millican on love "without the niggly bits"

The 36-year-old comic is blissfully happy with fellow stand-up Gary Delaney and doesn't want to jeopardise it by doing something silly... like living under the same roof.

Observational comedian Sarah Millican has been a regular face on panel shows ever since she won acclaim for her Edinburgh Festival show in 2009. Now she gets her own star vehicle. Millican performs trademark warm but sharp monologues about what's on TV, and chats to stars from the small screen. First up, on the themes of wildlife and dating, she's joined by naturalist Chris Packham and "sexpert" Tracey Cox.

Sarah Millican says she has got domestic bliss sorted

TV'S hottest new comic Sarah Millican and her boyfriend of six years are house-hunting - but not together.

Sarah Millican: I might write a sitcom one day

Award-winning stand-up comedian Sarah Millican tells Metro about the perks of fame, the worst gig of her life and spills the beans about her brand new comedy show on BBC2.

Video: Comedy queen Sarah Millican's interview secrets

Sarah Millican, who was recently voted Britain's Queen of Comedy, has launched a new television series.

The show introduces some of her favourite, if somewhat unlikely, television genre combinations.

The comedian shared some of her interview techniques with BBC Breakfast.

"When you're a comic people don't want you to be safe," she said.