The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year

Why don't comedians criticise the monarchy?

It's the job of standups to hold institutions to account - laugh by laugh - so why aren't more of them laying bare the anachronistic daftness of the royal family?

Jon Snow was the highlight of Big Fat Quiz

Jon Snow doing Drake's Hotline Bling dance was easily the highlight of Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz Of The Year.

Now every bit as much of a festive tradition as hangovers, DFS adverts and running out of milk the second all the shops close, Channel 4's holiday stalwart returns. In a year that saw such events as people arguing over The Dress, Taylor Swift biting chunks out of Apple or bewigged omnifarce Donald Trump being consistently terrible, there's certainly plenty to cover, so it's lucky that Rob Brydon, David Mitchell, Greg Davies and Jo Brand are on standby to cock their respective snooks at 2015's most mockable stories.

Mel B's appearance on Big Fat Quiz: Twitter reaction

The former Spice Girl's failure to get into the spirit of things saw her trending on the social media site.

Mel B was painful to watch on The Big Fat Quiz

It's probably safe to say Mel B won't be asked back on to The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year anytime soon. The X Factor judge's sour face, snooty comments and sheer lack of enthusiasm was very awkward to watch.

A panel of top-drawer celebrities, including Richard Ayoade, David Mitchell, Mel B, Micky Flanagan, Sarah Millican and Kevin Bridges are grilled by Jimmy Carr to see which of them has retained the most knowledge of 2014. To win the crown, they'll need to recall who purred down the phone in September, why Bono issued a worldwide apology in October, and what sporting event was the most-tweeted-about ever in July. Providing assistance are a host of varyingly beloved celebs including Michael Palin, Rio Ferdinand and Lily Allen.

TV Review: Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2013

As always, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year is best enjoyed with a couple of drinks and some friends who love childish humour. If you don't like either of those things then - well- sorry. That sounds like a real shame. Have some Strongbow.

One of the few festive programmes where the people on screen are normally drunker than the viewers. Jimmy Carr again presides over a panel game that usually attracts a good deal of correspondence from people who like to be offended at Christmas.

The passing of legislation earlier this year forcing Jack Whitehall to be included in all comedy programmes on all channels was controversial, but - perhaps due to some sort of hangover from his competitive days as a public schoolboy - he's well suited to the quiz format.

Whitehall and fellow bellower Jonathan Ross have gentler comic minds to offset them, answering questions about the past 12 months of news: Kristen Schaal is this year's woman, and there's also Richard Ayoade, who's effortlessly defused this gnarly bearpit in past Big Fat Quizzes. Plus, Noel Fielding and Dara O'Briain.

Two panels of celebrities led by David Mitchell and Phill Jupitus. An extremely sarcastic host with a distinctive laugh. And the occasional run-in with Ofcom and certain newspapers when someone (hello Jack Whitehall) takes things too far. Yes, it can only be Channel 4's quick-witted pub-quiz-style-show, which returns with some fiendish questions about the 1980s. Most of the guests should have no trouble recalling the events of that decade but we are a bit concerned about how much Alan Carr will remember. He wasn't born until 1976.

Ofcom rejects Big Fat Quiz complaints

Broadcasting watchdog declines even to investigate after 180 viewers shocked by rude jokes.