The Angelos Epithemiou Show

Shooting Stars fans will no doubt be keen on seeing at least one vestige of the surreal panel game live on in this Comedy Showcase pilot - which has already been commissioned for a full series in 2012.

Dan Skinner plays the award-winning burger van owner Angelos, making his own somewhat shambolic show alongside his friends Gupta (Adeel Akhtar), Kenny (Seymour Mace) and Margaret (Hannah Walters). The show features sketches, interviews, songs and audience participation.

As with any sketch show, these are always measured on their "hit and miss ratio". I would say that it's certainly more on the hit side, especially with it's range of physical and visual humour.

Yes, I know it's not the most sophisticated, but it's just pleasing to see.

Everything from the opening silhouette of Angelos at a mike, which turns out to be a chicken drumstick, to him taking a bath in the house of an unsuspecting audience member, is just... pleasing. And no doubt the more troublesome sketches will be ironed out in the forthcoming series, which should be well worth a watch.

The Angelos Neil Epithemiou Show review

This was madness, almost exempt from criticism because of its complete stupidity.

The socially awkward Angelos Epithemiou, who replaced score-keeper George Dawes on Shooting Stars, gets his own show here.

Written by and starring Dan Skinner, the man behind the carrier bag-loving oddball, this is... well, we're not entirely sure. It claims to be a studio-based entertainment show.

And it is indeed a show. Filmed in a studio. But the entertainment part will depend on whether or not your ribs are tickled by the creation of Angelos.

If you found him the funniest thing since the last funny thing on Shooting Stars, you're in for a treat. But for the rest of us, it's a case of scratching our heads and wondering: "What the heck was that all about?!"

Created by Dan Skinner, comic character Angelos Epithemiou is an anorak-clad, bespectacled, burger van-owning misfit who permanently lugs round a Sainsbury's carrier bag. He found cult fame as a panellist on recently axed BBC gameshow Shooting Stars and now moves to Channel 4 for this solo vehicle, executively produced by Bob Mortimer. Rather reminiscent of Vic Reeves or Harry Hill's early offerings, it's a surreal, cartoonish show packed with slapstick, music, magic and celebrity send-ups.

There was a sharp intake of breath among fans when it emerged that Matt Lucas would not be reprising his role of score master George Dawes on Shooting Stars. But in shambled Angelos Epithemiou with his carrier bags, rave interludes, bottle-bottom glasses and misplaced arrogance. He was, perhaps, even better than Dawes, and easily as arbitrary. Here comedian Dan Skinner gets a whole half-hour of his own to show off Angelos in all his shabby glory.