Victoria Wood (II)

A season of autobiographical comic shorts, where top names in British comedy write, narrate, star and sometimes direct dramatisations of their pasts. It opens with Victoria Wood's film about Eunice, an eight-year-old who is spending a rather gloomy Christmas with her dad in 1961. A visit to Mrs Whitefield's home changes things, as Eunice realises that precious memories can never be forgotten. Chris O'Dowd's story relates his childhood fear and distrust of Santa Claus and his plan to sabotage the big guy in the red suit's visit. It's gentle, nostalgic comedy that aims to leave you with a suitably glowing, festive feeling.

A nightly season of short autobiographical films featuring some of Britain's best comic talent opens tonight with stories by Victoria Wood and Chris O'Dowd. Dawn French, Stephen Fry, Bill Bailey, Kathy Burke, Jo Brand and Catherine Tate are among those writing, narrating and starring in these seasonal dramatisations of their lives, often with stories recalled from their childhood. It's a bit hit-and-miss. Wood's is on first, though hers is the only story not to feature a younger version of herself. The IT Crowd's O'Dowd follows with an amusing story of why as a boy he thought Santa was a "big weirdo".

Victoria Wood: Why Eric & Ernie STILL bring me sunshine

Victoria Wood first thought ten years ago of ­telling the story of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise before they were famous.

Victoria Wood to host Sky1 comedy night

Victoria Wood is to host a night of comedy from performers including Jo Brand at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, with the event being broadcast on Sky1.

Victoria Wood: 'I feel at the BBC I'm not trusted'

The comedian and writer on how difficult it is to work for the BBC, her insecurity - and her troubled relationship with food.

Victoria Wood to star in Morecambe and Wise film

Comedians Victoria Wood and Vic Reeves have signed up to star in a feature-length film about the comic duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.

Katherine Jakeways is the new Victoria Wood. And that's official. Her character comedy is so acutely observed and so sharp that it's in danger of causing permanent injury. Sheila Hancock narrates this story of life in a small Northamptonshire town that's home to the funniest of locals. Miss this at your peril.

Victoria Wood set for Morecambe and Wise drama

Comedian and actress Victoria Wood is to star in a TV drama about the early years of Morecambe and Wise, playing Eric Morecambe's mother.

Comediennes are not the most conventionally alluring creatures on television - Dawn French, Victoria Wood and Jo Brand, to name a few, have often exploited their comfortable shape to hilarious ends.

So it will come as no surprise that striking funny-girl Olivia Lee, whose one-woman sketch show - Dirty, Sexy, Funny - starts on Comedy Central next week, has struggled to marry her glamorous appearance with her comic buffoonery.

"It has been hard sometimes getting people to take me seriously as a comedienne because people look at me and think: 'She's not going to be funny', says Olivia, 29. But that's a good thing because I am changing the cliched perception and bringing a bit of glam to it. You don't have to look funny to be funny - and there are always prosthetics which I can use in some of the sketches, although that is more for disguise in the hidden-camera bits."

Victoria Wood moves behind camera after BBC snub

Irked that the BBC relegated her promised Christmas Day special to Christmas Eve, Victoria Wood says she plans to give up performing.