Sean Lock

Eddie Izzard heads to Latitude 2013 comedy stage

Eddie Izzard is heading to Latitude Festival's comedy stage alongside Sean Lock, Russell Kane and Dylan Moran.

If you haven't seen or heard of 8 Out of 10 Cats before then you probably don't have a television and have no need to be reading this. It's your straightforward celebrity panel quiz show where the questions are based around various surveys and statistics, as is explained at the top of the show by host Jimmy Carr.

This week they aired a second episode of the show where the host and guests are, for no explained reason, playing a game of Countdown. I can only assume that the initial C4 mash-up was a big hit and they thought, "Aaah why not, eh?" As usual, Jimmy rattled off a number of scripted gags, ranging from fair to poor, and Jon Richardson was his usual dour self, taking the role of team captain.

Notably missing from the line up was Sean Lock, which was a big loss to the show. Sean usually adds a nice eccentricity with his obvious lack of ego, never afraid to pick up on jarring absurdities of 'celebrity' guests on the regular weekly edition. Lee Mack was a fair replacement though, quick witted as usual, with a number of nice one-liners. He even managed to score a nine-letter word early on leaving the ever competitive Jon Richardson with plenty of room to play up his comically-angry persona.

Lee was joined by Rob Beckett and Jon by Rhod Gilbert, both of whom were funny and likeable. Tim Key was in Dictionary Corner and although enjoyable, he didn't have as much of a chance to shine as I would have liked. Joe Wilkinson appeared around the halfway point to "assist" Rachel with the letters, however he had no real reason to be on the show. Wilkinson is undoubtedly a funny man, but the number of appearances he makes on the show is somewhat diluting the hilarity of his "crazy antics".

An entertaining and fun show, then, providing you're not put off by the odd Savile joke or sexual objectification. Just saying.

One of TV's most unlikely - but no less enjoyable for that - cross-fertilisations returns as the 8 out of 10 Cats comedy quiz team takes over (for the third time) the veteran words and numbers game Countdown. Once again, Jimmy Carr replaces Nick Hewer in the presenter's chair, while Jon Richardson is joined by Rhod Gilbert to take on fellow comedians Lee Mack (replacing absent captain Sean Lock) and Rob Beckett. In Dictionary Corner with Countdown's Susie Dent is performance poet Tim Key, while Rachel Riley gets less welcome assistance from beardy Joe Wilkinson.

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Season 14 of the shouty 8 Out Of 10 Cats, which in the panel show stakes sits somewhere between the enjoyable Would I Lie To You and the creaky Mock the Week. Jimmy Carr - still in the quizmaster's seat - has a newly installed target on his back marked "tax avoider", and team captains Sean Lock and Jon Richardson will likely be the ones taking aim. Nothing in the way of info about this opening episode, but even money says that an Olympian will be present.

Following the success of last year's special, and as part of Funny Fortnight, Jimmy Carr is back hosting a rematch of Channel 4's MashUp, in which 8 Out of 10 Cats fuses with Countdown. Sean Lock and Jon Richardson face off as team captains, Irish comic David O'Doherty joins Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner and comedian Joe Wilkinson helps out boffin babe Rachel Riley on the numbers.

There's been plenty of reverential regal programming celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Now it's time for a more sardonic spin on the landmark event, with this special edition of the popular comedy panel show. Wisecracking Jimmy Carr hosts as two celebrity teams, captained by comedians Sean Lock and Jon Richardson, give their satirical take on the royal weekend, while dissecting monarchy-related opinion polls, surveys and statistics.