Thandiwe Newton

Mr Bean makes his TV return in airline safety video

British Airways has released the director's cut of its new star-studded safety information video. The airline bagged an impressive A-list cast to 'audition' for a part in its new pre-take off clip in front of comedian Asim Chaudhry in aid of Comic Relief.

Liam Gallagher and Super Nanny. Two people I never expected to type in the same sentence, but they'll both be chatting with Alan on tonight's show.

If only Noel had thought to put Liam on the naughty step, Oasis might still be together, but instead Liam's new band Beady Eye will be performing while Jo Frost tells all about her new C4 series: Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance.

Also on the show are Thandie Newton and Ben Miller talking about their new film Huge. It's a comedy drama about two struggling London comedians. Thandie's in it, and Ben's directed it, but one early review has called it "the worst shot film I've ever seen". Ouch.

Another of the four celebrity chat shows taking place on Friday nights these days. Tonight the camp comedian meets actors Thandie Newton and Ben Miller, plugging their new film Huge. Blokeish Liam Gallagher adds a bit of contrast - it'll be interesting to see how he and Carr get on. And Supernanny Jo Frost is also there, fresh from whipping errant toddlers - and their parents - into shape for a new series of her Channel 4 show.

And welcome, for example, to a special Christmas Shooting Stars (BBC2). No, I don't know what that "for example" is doing there either, but that's what Bob Mortimer says - and it's funny. Shooting Stars is about the baffling, the surreal, the unexpected and the unbelievably silly. This festive episode begins with a hanging (of a mouse) and ends with a race (between Ricky Tomlinson and Ronnie Wood, on mobility scooters). In between is half an hour of the usual lunacy.

Bob is impaled, up the arse, on the end of of Vic's electric guitar; Walter Hottle Bottle jumps in slow motion; Ulrikakaka downs a pint of Advocaat in one, then burps loudly; Jack Dee has a face like an abandoned winkle-picker, or a willy warmer with mouse droppings all over it; Joanna Page is Welsh and pronounces words funny; Thandie Newton is pestered by Bob; Angelous has been hiding in the trees outside Ulrikakaka's bedroom; the Christmas tree catches fire; a stuffed buzzard loses its confidence when a cocktail is thrown in its face; Ricky rides a rocking horse while eating chicken drumsticks.

And there are some fiendishly difficult questions. Like: true or false, muesli is a byproduct of coffin-making? (true). And will bacon stick to Bob's face? (Yes). And what's the latest Ron ever stayed up? (Very).

I'm still not convinced it was a good idea to bring back Shooting Stars. It was a show that fitted so perfectly into the 1990s, like Seinfeld and Britpop. But this Christmas special was a party.

The lovable, manic hosts of the revived 90s panel show are doing their bit to promote festive cheer. How? By presenting a special episode. They're on fire. And so is the studio Christmas tree, thanks to Bob's dodgy wiring job. In other hot stuff news, booked guests include Hollywood beauty Thandie Newton. She's likely to be the first choice recipient of Vic Reeves's lady fawning, but Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page serves as a useful backup. And there are male guests, too: Ricky Tomlinson and pineapple-haired Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood. In the final challenge, Ronnie and Ricky race. That has to be worth a look. Also tonight, expect sketches from the folk duo Mulligan and O'Hare, and a visit from the people's scorekeeper, Angelos Epithemiou.

Vic and Bob are as winning, and deranged, as they've always been, their unique humour a mixture of the obscure (references to Dutch prog-rock group Focus; a suicidal mouse) and the general ("Ulrika Jonsson: 50 Christmases spent in bed!"). Guests include Ronnie Wood, Ricky Tomlinson and Thandie Newton, a trio of festively good sports among the madness. "So Ron," says Vic, "what's the latest you've stayed up?"