Simon Callow

Untimely new comedy courting the grey vote with the dubious premise of: "Here, when you're old, you're nobody." Simon Callow plays permanently furious baby-boomer Henry who, when not being menaced by faceless youths on skateboards, rails against any suggestion that he should act his age. The targets are soft (political correctness, fancy coffee shops) and the lead character isn't sympathetic enough to gain real traction. A Victor Meldrew for the post-Brexit era? No, thanks.

The Rebel preview

The Rebel is a welcome addition to Gold's ever-growing original comedy slate and Simon Callow is a wonderful actor and perfect for the role.

Simon Callow interview

"I think this show speaks for the older generation who hate feeling that they're being sidestepped."

Golden Years review

Gentle comedy about elderly bank-robbers ends up reconfirming the very cliches it sets out to challenge.

Final part of Simon Day and Rhys Thomas's excellent rock spoof. There have been allusions to Bono, Fleetwood Mac, Queen and even Happy Mondays in the hapless figure of Pern in this series; tonight's has a touch of the Pink Floyds as he is railroaded into a Thotch reunion. However, reclusive founder member Bennett St John (Simon Callow) also wants in. Martin Freeman and Peter Bowles maintain the high-quality celebrity guest quota, almost a running joke in itself.

Radio Times review

The latest (very good) series of the Simon Day/Rhys Thomas spoof rockumentary series comes to an end with a reunion gig for Thotch, organised with typical skill (and dishonesty) by Michael Kitchen's slippery manager John Farrow. The only way he can get Day's Pern and the rest of the guys back together is by pretending that Paul Whitehouse's Pat Quid has dementia.

On the way we meet reclusive former bandmate Bennett St John (a brilliant Simon Callow), sample Quid's fishing show and get an insight into Pern's deepest yearning: his desire for Dad's approval. Will Pern Sr (Peter Bowles) attend the gig? And will Peter Gabriel show up again like he did last in the last finale?

When almost anyone who's had their 15 minutes dies now, social media is awash with people who have never given the deceased a second thought chiming in that they'll be missed. When Rik Mayall died suddenly in June, thousands tweeted their grief.

"He was a golden youth," says Ben Elton. "He was the greatest of us all," says Alexei Sayle. "The sexy genius, Rik Mayall," says whoever wrote Simon Callow's suitably grandiose narration for this tribute programme, which does the usual run-through of all the late star's famous roles, making out that each was incredibly groundbreaking, while celebrity chums say what a great guy he was.

The thing is, with Rik Mayall, for once all of that is absolutely true. He was a bloody sexy genius. He was unique and I'm quite willing to believe he was brilliant to know. And that grief felt real: to a certain generation, at least, he was ours in a way no other entertainer could be and loved as much as any stranger could be. He never sold out, never became a sentimental, corny shadow of himself.

This tribute programme - obvious as it is, missing (totally understandably) any contributions from his family or Adrian Edmondson, but filled with wonderful early footage and photos - reminds us of just what we lost.

You may cry a wee bit. But you will definitely laugh.

Jim Rosenthal commentates on son Tom's comedy Plebs

The sports presenter is joined by Simon Callow, James Fleet and Friday Night Dinners' Paul Ritter on series two of the ITV2 sitcom.

Book review: Charlie Chaplin by Peter Ackroyd

A haunting biography captures the brilliance and the blemishes of a comic who fought his way from poverty to worldwide fame.